Animals

World’s tiniest pig – just 10 inches tall – is returning to the wild


The tiny Pygmy hog measures just 10 inches tall (Wikipedia)

The world’s smallest pig species is returning to the wild, completing a remarkable comeback after being on the edge of extinction.

Pygmy hogs stand just 10 inches tall (25cm) and weigh in at around 22 pounds (just under 10kg) when fully grown.

The little creatures were ‘rediscovered’ in the 1970s after they were thought to have become extinct.

Conservationists worked hard to breed them in the 1990s to bring their numbers back up.

The teeny-tiny pigs have been released into Assam, a state in north-eastern India, according to National Geographic.

There are now thought to be about 300/400 of them in the wild, with a further 76 in captivity.

Parag Deka, project director of Guwahati’s Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme, said: ‘It’s very important for me to keep going and save this species from extinction.

‘We should all look for a purpose in life. When I got involved in this project, I realised this can give me that purpose.’

According to Deka, the project aims to release another 60 pygmy hogs into the Manas national park over the next five years.

In total, 130 hogs were released into Manas and Orang national parks between 2008 and 2020.


MORE : Conservationists hail ‘remarkable comeback’ of tigers


MORE : Model poses with animals she hunts on OnlyFans ‘to help conservation charities’





READ NEWS SOURCE

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.