Pygmy hog

Pygmy HogThe Pygmy hog (Sus salvanius) is an endangered species of wild pig, and can only be found in the North-east of India in the state Assam. Once they were found throughout Bhutan, Northern India, and Nepal. Estimates of the world population are between 100 and a few hundred individuals. Although they are one of the most threatened species of all mammals, thanks to conservation measures and breeding programs their numbers improve. The reason for their decline is a combination of habitat destruction, overgrazing by domestic livestock, commercial forestry and flood control projects. In the wild they live in tall and dense grassland. Their diet consists of roots, tubers and sometimes insects, invertebrates, eggs and young birds. Pygmy hogs build nests by diggin a trough with their snout and covering it with grasses. This helps them to keep themselves warm in cold weather.

Interesting fact: The pygmy hog is the smallest pig in the world.

Links National Geographic article on pygmy hogs conservation

Image of the pygmy hog by Alessio Marrucci, licensed under GFDL

The Pygmy hog is listed as Critically Endangered (CR), facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild, on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Namings for the pygmy hog
The females are called 'sow' and males 'boar'. A pygmy hog group is called a 'drift or herd'.
Countries
Bhutan, India and Nepal
Some facts about the
Pygmy hog

Adult weight : 8 kg (17.6 lbs)

Maximum longevity : 14 years

Female maturity :700 days

Male maturity : 700 days

Gestation : 108 days

Litter size : 3

Weight at birth : 0.192 kg (0.4224 lbs)

Source: AnAge, licensed under CC

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