Environment
Kaziranga camera traps reveal at least 55 greater hog badgers
Images from tiger surveys helped researchers make the first population estimate of the burrowing mammal, locally called Mati Gahori.
By Rimjhim Bora ยท 13 June 2026
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has released its first scientific report on the greater hog badger. The report, released on 12 June 2026, estimates that at least 55 of these animals live in the park.
The estimate is based on camera traps that were originally set up to monitor tigers. Kaziranga's Tiger Cell worked with the Wildlife Conservation Trust and researcher Tiasa Adhya of The Fishing Cat Project. They studied more than 140 images of the badger taken at 857 camera locations during earlier All India Tiger Estimation exercises.
Where they live
The badgers were found mostly in mixed tall grassland and woodland and in areas with many wetlands. Hotspots included the Diffolu river near Kerasin and Daphlang, and the area near Sohola on the eastern edge of the park.
The greater hog badger, known locally as Mati Gahori, is the largest badger species in the world. It is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. Its digging helps aerate soil and spread nutrients and seeds. As the species has declined across Southeast Asia, the report suggests Assam and the Northeast may be among its key remaining strongholds.
Source: EastMojo
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