This is a truly commendable effort... kudos to the team at the pygmy hog centre. Does anyone know about the hispid hare, I remember reading somewhere that even this animal was under threat and its conservation efforts are on in India... Fantastic work with the pygmy hog and also the Indian one horned rhinocerous in Assam. Sanjeev
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [email protected]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:21:46 +0530Subject: [delhibird] Pygmy Hog Centre, Assam This is a bit out of context but worth mentioning to those whose interestspans other forms of wildlife!- - - On our way back from Arunachal Pradesh and Kaziranga National Park, Assam wevisited the Pygmy Hog Centre in Guwahati, Assam.Goutam Narayan started the conservation breeding programme for Pygmy Hogs,Porcula salvania, in Assam since these are the smallest and rarest wild suidin the world. Today, they are only found in a small population in ManasTiger Reserve, Assam.With the assistance of the Forest Dept and financial/technical support fromGerald Durell Foundation, Darwin Initiative, ECO Systems India, etc., GoutamNarayan and his team have successfully bred Pygmy Hogs in captivity. Theconservation centre has several open enclosures, all inter-connected withnatural vegetation and soil rich in worms, beetles, roots, etc. We were ableto see these tiny adults and some of the young digging/burrowing with theirnoses, as well as 'nests' made of dried grasses. The enclosures are coveredon top with wire mesh and the bars have an electric current running throughthem to prevent ingress of leopards and birds of prey. In the centre of theenclosures are the breeding cells which are covered and accessed by fewhumans (gloves, feet pre-soaked in potassium permanganate). Visitors in thisarea are usually shunned, which is a good thing.Only very recently, the Pygmy Hog genus was reverted to Porcula from the Susgenus since DNA studies found it different in several aspects from wild boargenus.What is interesting to learn is that although these Pygmy Hogs are small ittakes 2 adults to hold them as they can wriggle out since their bodies arebullet-shaped bodies with almost no neck. They are very tough and in thewild they move extremely fast, the only thing that one can see is the top ofthe grasses moving indicating their presence. The trained keepers have avery tough time catching them in the small enclosures.We also saw a pre-release area behind Eco-Camp Tourist Lodges in NameriNational Park. This is a huge enclosure and adults are re-located here foracclimatisation prior releasing them in their original habitats.So do visit this Centre located outside Guwahati (on route to the airport)and get a first-hand idea of breeding programmes our own Indian researchersare doing. You would be surprised to know a lot of viable ideas sprang fromthis centre and are currently being implemented in other similar programmesin the world.If you plan a visit you may email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] world lost the Dodo forever. India shouldn't lose her Pygmy Hogs!Cheers,Kiran [EMAIL PROTECTED] portions of this message have been removed]__._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Files | Photos OUR WEBSITE - http://www.delhibird.net/ MARKETPLACE >From kitchen basics to easy recipes - join the Group from Kraft Foods Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity 9 New MembersVisit Your Group Dog Groups on Yahoo! Groups discuss everything related to dogs. All-Bran Day 10 Club on Yahoo! Groups Feel better with fiber. Check out the Y! Groups blog Stay up to speed on all things Groups! . __,_._,___ _________________________________________________________________ Color coding for safety: Windows Live Hotmail alerts you to suspicious email. http://windowslive.com/Explore/Hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_safety_112008 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
