Pygmy Hog

Pygmy Hog Latest News

India’s pygmy hog is vanishing from its grasslands, just as it is needed the most

About Pygmy Hog

• It is the smallest and rarest species of wild pig in the world.
• It is one of the very few mammals that build its own home, or nest, complete with a ‘roof’.
• It is an indicator species as its presence reflects the health of its primary habitat.
• Habitat: It prefers undisturbed patches of grassland dominated by early succession riverine communities, typically comprising dense tall grass intermixed with a wide variety of herbs, shrubs and young trees.
• Currently, they survive only in the grasslands of Assam’s Manas and Orang national parks.

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Ecological Role of Pygmy Hog

• Using its snout, it digs for roots, tubers, wild fruits, termites, earthworms, eggs and other food sources found in the grasslands.
• This digging aerates the soil and enhances its quality.
• It also helps disperse seeds through its dietary and foraging habits.

Conservation Status of Pygmy Hog

• IUCN: Critically Endangered
• The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Source: DTE