Although very few records exist on the Saola in their natural environment, they are thought to primarily feed on the leaves of fig and other trees and bushes, that grow along the moist riverbanks. However, the sole member of its genus Pseudoryx, the saola diverged from all other living species more than 13 million years ago. Forests are very important to us, and to many different species.

In the last four years we have helped establish two new adjacent saola reserves in the Thua-Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces. A small 61 square mile reserve has just been set up in the Quang Nam province in central Vietnam, specifically to try and protect the dwindling populations of Saola today.

Known as the Asian unicorn because of its rarity, the saola population may be as low as a few tens of individuals today. Despite this though, extensive work is being done throughout much of their natural range to ensure that they more commonly exist in areas of protected forest that are not at as much risk from hunting and poaching. We helped improve the management of Vu Quang Nature Reserve where the saola was discovered. Speak up for species and places through WWF's Action Center.

Principal Office England – Company Number RC000749 – Registered address Regent’s Park, London, England NW1 4RY. They have however been noted in 15 small pockets of forest between the two countries, generally at a mid-altitude range (between 400 meters and 1,000 meters above sea level).

The added pressure from rapid and large-scale infrastructure in the region is also fragmenting saola habitat. They are known to be browsing animals that nibble from plant to plant throughout their habitat, and are nearly always found close to a source of fresh, running water such as a small slow-moving river or mountain stream. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. As a protected species, they cannot be hunted but often get caught in snares and traps that are set up in the forests where they exist, mainly to catch Wild Boar and Deer. Although the Saola closely resembles the Arabian Desert Antelopes, they are thought to be more closely related to Wild Cattle. Population Pyramids: WORLD - 1975. Males are thought to find a female that often co-inhabits a small part of the male's range.

“Only recently discovered, saola are already extremely threatened. Population graph Population 0 10000 20000 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Population Population 22. For each action, we asked experts for each species to assess the extent to which that action is being carried out and how much of the species’ range that action occurs in. With its unusually long horns and white markings on the face, the saola is a strong symbol for biodiversity in Lao and Vietnam. We lead saola surveys, do research and play a very active role in an international working group established to save the saola. Conservationists are concerned that this is allowing hunters easy access to the once untouched forest of the saola and may reduce genetic diversity in the future.

Version 2017.1. }, The Zoological Society of London is incorporated by Royal Charter – Registered Charity in England and Wales no. After mating, females are thought to give birth to a single calf (much in the same way as other Bovine species) after a gestation period that is thought to last for between 7 and 8 months.

Having been hunted specifically as a species by Humans in the past, today hunters are still among the Saola's biggest threats. The Saola is also thought to feed on fruits, seeds and berries from these plants, along with munching on grasses and herbs that grow on the ground, rather than above it. However, for our purposes, “most venomous” means “venomous animals most dangerous to humans.” One more thing […] Read More. However, all efforts to maintain the species in captivity have failed, and the elusive nature of the species means conservation efforts are difficult to implement. Evergreen forests with little or no dry season, View our inclusive approach to conservation, Living among the trees: Five animals that depend on forests, The Saola’s Battle for Survival on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Locals claim that the Saola spends its summer months further up the alpine slopes, venturing down during the winter when the water sources higher up have run dry and there is therefore also less to eat. The Saola's fur is relatively thin and notably soft, and covers their thick skin which is thought to help to protect them from being too badly injured from the horns of other individuals. The Saola is one of the most distinctive Antelope species in the world, with its most characteristic feature being the long and sharply-pointed horns that sit parallel on top of the animal's head. The current population of wild Chinese Giant Salamanders (Andrias davidianus) is estimated to be less than 50,000. Join us to make change.

The saola was discovered in May 1992 during a joint survey carried out by the Ministry of Forestry of Vietnam and WWF in north-central Vietnam. The Saola is most commonly found in dense, evergreen forests that are moist and have a good source of running water. WWF's work to support the saola focuses on strengthening and establishing protected areas. Often called the Asian unicorn, little is known about the enigmatic saola in the two decades since its discovery. new google.translate.TranslateElement({pageLanguage: 'en', layout: google.translate.TranslateElement.InlineLayout.SIMPLE, autoDisplay: false}, 'google_translate_element');

None exist in captivity and this rarely-seen mammal is already critically endangered. WWF claim that the rareness, distinctiveness and uniqueness of the Saola, make it one of the greatest priorities to conservation in the Indochina region today.

Nearly all of the information that exists on the Saola, actually comes from 13 individuals that were held in captivity (6 in Vietnam and 7 in Laos) after their discovery and from reports by local villagers.