The Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) – also known as siola, spindlehorn, Asian Unicorn, or the Vu Quang bovid – is one of the world’s rarest large mammals, a forest-dwelling bovine found only in the Annamite range of Laos and Vietnam. Its name derives from one of the Tai languages of Vietnam and means “priceless, like the moon and the stars.” Discovered in May 1992 during a joint survey carried out by the Vietnamese Ministry of Forestry and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in north-central Vietnam, the Saola was the first large mammal new to science in the area since 1936 and one of the most spectacular zoological discoveries of the 20th century.
The Saola resembles an antelope, but DNA has proven it is more closely related to a species of cattle, which is why it is designated as a Pseudoryx, or false antelope.
Illustration by © Eric Losh
It typically stands about 75 cm at the shoulder and weighs between 80 and 100 kg. Its general characteristics include a chocolate brown coat with a striking pattern of white markings on the head, throat and the sides of the neck; a paler shade of brown on the nape and the belly; a black dorsal stripe; and a pair of long, gently curving horns with sharp ends present on both sexes.
There are no Saolas existing in captivity, and scientists have categorically documented the Saola in the wild on only four occasions to date. Its small population is estimated at between 70 and 250 and declining; thus, the species is listed as critically endangered by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The primary threats to the Saola are hunting – locals consider their horns to be a prized trophy – and targeted offtake for the wildlife trade. They also sometimes get caught in snares that have been set to catch animals raiding crops, such as wild boar, sambar, and muntjac. The Saola’s restrictive habitat requirements and aversion to human proximity are also very likely to endanger it through habitat loss and fragmentation.
Camera trap
Although insufficient conservation attention and resources are devoted to the Saola, the WWF considers its rareness, distinctiveness and uniqueness as a priority and an emblem of conservation in Indochina today
