THE PYGMY HOG SUS-SALVANIUS CONSERVATION PROGRAM - BACKGROUND DESCRIPTION AND REPORT ON PROGRESS TO END DECEMBER 1996

Nearly ten years after its conception, a recovery programme for the cr itically endangered pigmy hog Sus salvanius was formally approved, and an implementation plan agreed, by the signing of an International Con servation Management and Research Agreement (ICMRA) on 16 February 199 5 at the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, in New Delhi. This Agreement, the first of its kind in India, was signed by senior representatives of the four collaborating parties: the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India; the Assam S tate Forest Department, Government of Assam; the IUCN/SSC Pigs and Pec caries Specialist Group (PPSG); and the Jersey Wildlife Preservation T rust (JWPT). A successful funding application by the JWPT to the Europ ean Union also ensured the majority of funding support for the first t hree years. The Agreement is based around a Three-point Action Plan fo r the Conservation of the Pigmy Hog, which was drafted in April 1985 a t the invitation of the Joint Secretary for Wildlife in the Union Mini stry. The Action Plan was formulated by the PPSG, but based largely on the results of field research sponsored by JWPT and conducted in clos e collaboration with the Wildlife Division of the Assam Forest Departm ent, some of whose officers were also instrumental in the formulation of the ICMRA. The history of these events is outlined, along with an a ccount of the major activities and progress made since the signing of the Agreement. These activities have included: appointment and trainin g of project staff and appointment of scientitic consultants; acquisit ion of project vehicle and other equipment; conduct of preliminary fie ld surveys; selection and development of the Pigmy Hog Research and Br eeding Centre at Basistha; capture of six (2.4) hogs as founders for t he breeding programme, development of husbandry procedures and birth/r earing of the first 12 (6.6) hogs at Basistha; capture, radio-collarin g, release and monitoring of a further four (3.1) hogs; initiation of behaviour, reproductive and life-history studies of captive hogs, and activity rhythms, ranging patterns and ecological studies of wild hogs ; initiation and development of longer-term ecology and management stu dies of tall grasslands; and development of recommendations for the en hanced future protection and management of remnant hog populations and grasslands in Manas, Barnadi and other selected areas.