Hi
Students
I am back again. Do you know what I brought from the market
yesterday? Sugarcane, papaya, coconut, sweet potato and egg. Pygmy hog are
omnivorous animals. In wild they eat lots of roots and tubers and insects and
some wild fruits. So we provide them here varieties of tubers, fruits and eggs.
As we are in a tropical country our hot and humid environment also helps in multiplication
of insects in the paddocks. And it makes them busy in digging all the day
looking for insects (Termites are their most favourite) in the paddocks. 
Do you know what I ordered for supplies this morning … thatch. Why thatch – because the hogs need it to build
their home … thier nest! Yes this is a mammal who builds their own nest and lives in a nest. Other wild hogs build nests only while they give babies. There are very
few mammals in the world who also build their own home. The Pygmy hog makes a
shallow depression on ground and arrange grasses layers over layers to build
their nest. Nest are so nicely built that even in heavy rain water does not
percolate through it. It remains cooler in hot summer days and much warmer in
winter. They are social animals and live on a small group of 4 to 6
individuals. All members of the group take part in building nest and live
together in their nest. In captivity we provide them thatch to build their
nest. Some time they pull tall grasses we planted in paddocks to build nest
also. So they are the nest builder hogs that live in the Terai grassland. 
Terai grassland was a very long narrow strip of grassland found
in southern foot hills of Himalaya. Beside the pygmy hog this also home for many endangered species. But more important is that it
also helps people live close to it. Their livelihood and protection of their
land also depends on the continued existence of grassland. But now, changes are happening
in grassland, they are fragmented and only few pockets of grassland are left. And
wild pygmy hogs are found only in one of them … that is Manas National Park.
Only in very small numbers … maybe just a few hundred… 200 to 300. I am sure Daniel
will tell you more about it.
And I am certain that after listening to him you will relaise
that conserving the pygmy hog and their home and what Durrell is doing in collaboration
with others is not only saving pygmy hog but also helping people to live around
it.
Now I have to stop my story of pygmy hog here today. It is half
past five in the evening here at home. I have to go to home now; my wife and
daughters are waiting for me to go to a festive place to enjoy Ronglai
bihu.
Cheers
Parag
Hi Parag,
ReplyDelete8.1 would like to know......
How many people are in your team?
What has happened to the grassland area?
What is the pygmy hogs largest threat?
Do you have certain diets for certain pygmy hogs?
You said they were omnivores - what kind of meat do they eat?
Hello Simaon
ReplyDeleteVery important questions, so they have understood our efforts to save a species.
Thanks to all of you 8.1
Best Wishes
Parag
How many people are in your team?
We are working in a team of eleven people managing three sites. My project director Dr. Goutam Narayan he is head of the project. He is also a Durrell’s graduate. We have a temporary field biologist. Other then three of us we have a field assistant mostly working at release sites. At our breeding centre we have three animal keepers and a site assistant. At Our pre-release centre we have one keeper and two site assistants. One of them also trained to assist in animal management. I have to work in all three places moving from one place to another.
What has happened to the grassland area?
Thanks for this important question. I have discuss this point you ask while answering the question “ Is the pygmy hogs "extinction" related to natural selection?”
What is the pygmy hogs largest threat?
Thanks for your very important question. I have address your question while answering the question “ Is the pygmy hogs "extinction" related to natural selection?” You will get you answer their and currently habitat degradation is the largest threat.
Do you have certain diets for certain pygmy hogs?
Yes, base on different age, reproductive state and management state we offer diverse kind of food. At two weeks of age young babies starts liking the food from their mother. Then we offer them their food in a separate plate. In first week it contains a wheat base cereals design for human babies, and then gradually we add egg and small pieces of fruits (banana, papaya etc). This will continue still they started digging ground with their mother and start eating from mother’s plate. Then gradually by the time they attain their juvenile state at five months of age feed will be similar to the diet of adults.
Adult food contains varieties of seasonal fruits, tubers, process soybeans and eggs (once in a week), and cereals (either crush wheat or flat rice). Pregnant sow will get extra protein (eggs and soybeans) and more feeds then other hogs. Hogs older then eight/nine years of age will get more parboiled food. Size of their feed will be smaller and softer, as there will be more wear and tear of their teethes and reduce in digestion.
Hogs in pre-release training will get less quantity of food. Quantity of food will be gradually reduce to 25% of the food they usually get in other facility. No cereals and parboiled item given to them. They have to look their food in the semi wild pre-release enclosures.
All hogs will get mineral mixture with their diet. Pregnant hogs, lactating mother and newborn hoglets will get different vitamin and mineral supplements.
You said they were omnivores - what kind of meat do they eat?
Other then roots, tubers and fruits they love eggs and always dig the ground for insects. In wild they eat eggs and young chicks of the birds nesting in grassland