Conservationists report that the world's smallest and rarest pigs are "thriving" following their release into the wild last year.

Camera-trap footage and surveys suggest that the captive-bred pygmy hogs have adapted well to their new home in the grasslands of Assam in India. The team now plans to reintroduce more of the little pigs to this habitat.

In 1996, conservationists began a captive-breeding programme in a bid to boost the pigs' numbers, and in May 2008, 16 of these pygmy hogs (seven males and nine females) were released into the Sonai Rupai wildlife sanctuary.

Professor Fa, director of conservation science at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (one of the partners in the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP)), said: "Since the release, we have been doing very extensive surveys every month to find out how they are using their habitat. The good thing about these pigs, like all pigs, is that they build nests and you can see where they have spent the night.

"And getting the camera-trap footage was the icing on the cake."

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