Kaziranga National Park (KNP) has confirmed through a new scientific study that the Greater Hog Badger is thriving in its natural habitat, park officials announced on Saturday. Locally known as 'Mati Gahori', this nocturnal burrowing mammal is a globally Vulnerable species protected under Schedule I of India's Wildlife Protection Act.
First Scientific Assessment Report Released
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) unveiled the first scientific assessment report of the Greater Hog Badger (Arctonyx collaris) on Friday. The study was conducted by Kaziranga's Tiger Cell in collaboration with Wildlife Conservation Trust and Tiasa Adhya of The Fishing Cat Project, aiming to estimate the density and habitat occupancy of greater hog badgers within the Tiger Reserve by analyzing camera-trap images from past All India Tiger Estimation data.
Population Estimates and Distribution
Park authorities stated that at least 55 individual hog badgers are estimated in approximately 1,100 square kilometers, indicating a healthy and potentially viable population widely distributed throughout the landscape.
Environment and Forests Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah posted on social media: "Exciting news from @kaziranga_ ! The Great Hog Badger is doing well... The first scientific assessment using camera-trap bycatch data has recorded over 60 Greater Hog Badgers in the park. The healthy presence of this elusive, nocturnal burrower across diverse habitats reflects the strength of Kaziranga's ecosystems. Every species, big or small, plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity."
Global Distribution and Conservation Status
Hog badgers are distributed across parts of South, Central, and Southeast Asia, ranging from Bangladesh and northeastern India eastwards through Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Vietnam, south to Cambodia and peninsular Thailand. According to the IUCN, while an exact global population count is unavailable, the population trend is decreasing due to habitat loss and intense poaching pressure, leading to the species being listed as Vulnerable.
Ecological Importance
KNPTR Director Sonali Ghosh emphasized the ecological significance of the Greater Hog Badger, describing it as an important mesocarnivore whose conservation in Kaziranga has implications beyond a single species. "As an omnivorous and highly fossorial mammal, the species contributes to ecosystem functioning through soil disturbance, nutrient redistribution, and the turnover of leaf litter during foraging activities. Such digging behavior enhances soil aeration and may facilitate seed germination and microhabitat formation for invertebrates and small vertebrates," she said.
Conservation Priority in Northeast India
The Greater Hog Badger is highly sensitive to hunting and has massively declined in its Southeast Asian range, with only India and Thailand likely having healthy populations at present. Park officials noted that this makes the species a higher conservation priority in South Asia, particularly in Assam and Northeast India. "This region is much more internationally significant than might be assumed from a casual look at a global range map, and the finding from Kaziranga helps to prove this point," the park authority added.
