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. Saola is diurnal (active during the day) animal. It is the most active during morning and later in the afternoon.
They are thought to be active early in the morning and will avoid the heat of the midday sun. There have been few saolas in captivity. Most information has come from a saola named Robichard who was observed in captivity in 1996 for 18 days until she died from unknown causes.
What kind of animals hunt the saola?
Aside from humans, larger animals that live in the forests, such as tigers, are also likely to hunt the saola. The saola is often referred to as a unicorn because it is such a rare animal, and almost seems to be imaginary.
Local villagers have reported that the saola browses on leafy plants, fig leaves, and stems along rivers and animal trails ; the calf captured in 1994 ate Homalomena aromatica, an herb with heart-shaped leaves. The bovine appears to be mainly solitary, although it has been seen in groups of two to three and rarely in groups of six or seven.
What kind of plants do saola eat?
Robichaud offered spleenwort (Asplenium) fern species, broad dark-green plants of the genus Homalomena, and various species of broad-leaved shrubs or trees of the subfamily Sterculiaceae to the captive animal. The saola fed on all plants, and showed a preference for the Sterculiaceae species.
One query we ran across in our research was “How many horns does a saola have?”.
The saola (pronounced sow-la and also known as the Asian unicorn or the Vu Quang bovid) has two long, straight, parallel horns that can reach 20 inches in length. Horns are found on both males and females.
What are some amazing facts about the saola?
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. Human knowledge of this creature only extends back two decades to May 1992 when the Vietnamese Ministry of Forestry and.
Do saolas pull at leaves?
She did not pull at leaves, she would rather chew or pull them into her mouth using her long tongue. She fed mainly during the day, and rarely in the dark. The saola is also reputed to feed on Schismatoglottis, unlike other herbivores in its range.
How long does a Soala live?
Scientists believe that saola lives between 8 and 11 years in the wild. All information about saola was collected by observing 13 captive animals. Unfortunately, soala cannot survive long period in captivity and all except two captured animals died within the short period of time.