Saola

The saola, one of the most critically endangered species in the world and on the IUCN red list, is a very rare and distinct species that was discovered only around a couple of decades before in May 1992, often called the “Asian Unicorn.” We will look into the details of how the saola was discovered,. … Read more

Saola are presumed to reside in mountain forests during the wet seasons and move down to the lowlands in winter. The species is presumed to have been formerly distributed in wet forests at low elevations, but these areas are now densely populated, degraded, and fragmented. Where are saolas located? The Saola, pronounced sow-la, meaning ‘spindle … Read more

They are known as the ‘Asian Unicorns’. The Saola, pronounced sow-la, meaning ‘spindle horns’ in Vietnamese, is found in only one place in the world: the Annamite Mountains forests on the border between Vietnam and Laos. This of course begs the query “Where do saolas live?” The Saola is found in Laos and Vietnam. More … Read more

Another reason for the loss of these species is loss in habitat. Humans destroy the forests where saolas live and use them for agriculture and other infrastructures. This either fragments the saola population or reduces the size of their habitat. Fragmentation will also decrease genetic diversity and create issues like inbreeding. Why are saola going … Read more

First discovered in 1992, the saola remains largely a mystery to humans. Scientists have only seen them in the wild on four separate occasions. Only 70-100 saola remain in the wild, with current estimates favoring the lower range of this figure. They live along the Vietnam-Laos border. The most usefull answer is, often called the … Read more

A saola is herbivorous by nature, that is it does not feed on other animals or hunt them down. This species can run at a speed of 23 mph (37 kph). What does a saola eat? It eats fig leaves and other plant material (seeds, fruit and berries) that can be found near the riverbanks. … Read more

There is little information available on parental investment of saola, although Artiodactyl young are generally precocious. Like other members of the family, it is likely that most parental care is provided by the mother. Young receive nourishment from mother’s milk, protection from mother, and probably some form of grooming. It is not known whether saola … Read more

Saola is threatened primarily by hunting, rather than habitat loss. The main hunting threat comes from commercial poaching, not subsistence hunting by local people. In Southeast Asia, most endangered species of wildlife are threatened by targeted offtake for the wildlife trade, either for bushmeat or traditional Asian medicine. Our chosen answer was the saola is … Read more

36) The difficult terrain of their remote location makes scientific study difficult, but the best guess is that there are anywhere from 100 to 700 Saolo left in the wild. The population in Laos is believed to be larger than that in Vietnam, but both Saola populations may be below 100 at this point. This … Read more

It eats fig leaves and other plant material (seeds, fruit and berries) that can be found near the riverbanks. Saola is diurnal (active during the day) animal. It is the most active during morning and later in the afternoon. Then, what kind of plants do saola eat? Robichaud offered spleenwort (Asplenium) fern species, broad dark-green … Read more