Camera traps reveal hidden population of greater hog badgers in Kaziranga

A new assessment published in June provides the first scientific baseline for the greater hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam. Researchers from the Kaziranga Tiger Cell, the Wildlife Conservation Trust, and The Fishing Cat Project analysed thousands of camera-trap images collected during the All India Tiger Estimation 2026 exercise between February and May.

The study estimated a minimum of 55 individuals across the 1,100 square kilometres surveyed and found the species was independently detected more than 140 times at 857 camera-trap locations. Using a Royle-Nichols occupancy-abundance model, researchers determined the badgers occupy nearly 50% of the camera-trap grids, a far wider distribution than previously assumed from rare incidental sightings.

Park director C. Ramesh noted the actual population is likely higher because the probability of detecting a hog badger during a single survey occasion was only about 20%. He added that the camera spacing, designed for tiger monitoring, may have been too wide to accurately capture a smaller mammal with different movement patterns.

The greater hog badger is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and protected under Schedule I of India's Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It faces threats from habitat loss, fragmentation, road development, tourism, livestock grazing, and accidental snaring. Despite its protected status, it has remained one of the least-studied mammals in Kaziranga, partly because small, elusive species often receive less research attention.

Divisional Forest Officer Arun Vignesh said the species is more active in woodlands, particularly along edges where woodland meets tall grasslands. Unlike tigers, rhinos, and elephants, the hog badger rarely features in local folklore; former Honorary Wildlife Warden Uttam Saikia noted most people around the park rarely encounter it and know it only by the Assamese name mati gahori, meaning earth pig.

Researchers emphasise the badger's ecological importance as a fossorial omnivore. Its digging behaviour disturbs soil, redistributes nutrients, turns over leaf litter, and enhances soil aeration, which may facilitate seed germination and create microhabitats for invertebrates and small vertebrates. Vignesh added that the species serves as an indicator of pristine ecosystem health, and declines in its presence can signal ecological changes such as the spread of invasive species.

Significant knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding how the species responds to Kaziranga's annual monsoon floods. Staff have reported the badgers may climb trees or fallen logs to stay above floodwaters, but their nesting and refuge habits are not well understood. Ramesh said long-term conservation will require monitoring designed specifically for the species, though for now it will be tracked through regular camera-trap exercises.