Assam's pygmy hog population rebuilds through captive breeding
A captive-breeding programme has helped Assam's endangered pygmy hog population recover from a handful of individuals to nearly 200.
What is happening
Assam's population of the pygmy hog, the world's smallest wild pig, has grown from a handful of individuals in the mid-1990s to nearly 200 today.
The recovery has been driven by a captive-breeding and release programme run with conservation partners in the state's tall-grassland habitats.
The pygmy hog is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and survives only in a few grassland pockets of Assam.
Key facts
| Topic | Assam's pygmy hog population rebuilds through captive breeding |
| Syllabus | GS Paper 3 - Environment / Wildlife Conservation |
| Places | Assam |
| Keywords | pygmy hog, Assam, IUCN Red List, captive breeding |
UPSC / KPSC relevance
Prelims
Remember: pygmy hog; Assam; IUCN Red List; captive breeding. Expect a statement-based or match-the-following question on this.
Mains
Use as an example in GS-3 answers (GS Paper 3 - Environment / Wildlife Conservation). Frame: issue → provision/policy → implication → way forward.
🧠 YOU HAVE READ IT.
NOW PROVE YOU REMEMBER IT.
Test yourself on Assam's pygmy hog population rebuilds through captive breeding.
- 5 UPSC-level questions
- Instant explanations
- Identify your weak areas
- Personalised revision
Powered by AdaptIQ
Can you answer this?
The pygmy hog, whose population in Assam has recovered through a captive-breeding programme, is found naturally only in which type of habitat?
- Mangrove forests
- High-altitude cold deserts
- Coral reef ecosystems
- Tall-grassland (terai) habitats
Show answer
Answer: D — The pygmy hog, the world's smallest wild pig, survives only in a few tall-grassland pockets of Assam and is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
4 more questions on this topic are waiting in AdaptIQ. Take 5 MCQs →
Sources
Government and official releases; PIB; The Hindu; Indian Express. Curated and verified by Topper IAS editorial.