Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday highlighted the remarkable recovery of the endangered pygmy hog population in the state, saying its numbers have risen from just six to 194 through decades of sustained conservation efforts.
In a post on X, Sarma described the recovery as “a remarkable story of conservation, patience and decades of dedicated effort”.
“Small hog. Big comeback,” the Chief Minister said, setting a target of increasing the pygmy hog population to 300 by 2040.
According to a conservation display documenting the species’ recovery, the pygmy hog was once on the brink of extinction. The conservation and breeding programme began with six pygmy hogs collected from Manas National Park.
The pygmy hog is among the world’s smallest and rarest wild pig species and is native to the grasslands along the Himalayan foothills. Assam has remained at the centre of efforts to conserve the species and restore its population.
The increase from six animals to 194 represents a significant turnaround for the species, while the target of 300 by 2040 provides a long-term conservation goal.
Conservation of the pygmy hog is closely linked to protecting and restoring Assam’s grassland habitats, which also provide crucial shelter to several other threatened species.
The recovery highlights how sustained breeding programmes, habitat protection and long-term conservation efforts can help bring critically threatened wildlife back from the brink of extinction.
