The world’s most elusive animal, the Saola, is on the verge of extinction. Saola are a species of wild ox that live in the forested mountains of Laos and Vietnam. They are the only member of the genus Pseudoryx, meaning “false or unknown cattle.” Saola are critically endangered, which means there are only a few hundred left in the world. They were first discovered in 1992, and were designated as critically endangered in 2011.
The Saola
The Saola is one of the rarest animals on earth, found in a single region of Southeast Asia. Their horns and appearance make them unique from other bovidae. The Saola is a rare, critically endangered animal found only in Laos and Vietnam. It lives in deep, primary forest and is a solitary inhabitant of the area. In the Lao language it is called ‘sao lao’ which translates ‘spinning wheel posts’, in reference to the similarity in size and shape of the animal’s horns to the paired support posts of local spinning wheels used by villagers in its range. Because Saola is rare and elusive, getting an accurate population estimate is difficult. They are found in remote hard to reach areas and it lives alongside many other large mammals.
Threats to the Saola
The Saola is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. It faces multiple threats, with commercial poaching being a primary threat. The main threat comes from commercial poaching, not subsistence hunting by local people. In Southeast Asia, there are many endangered species of wildlife threatened by being targeted for the wildlife trade. The most common way to hunt these animals is with snares, and they’re indiscriminate in who they catch. Unfortunately, they have included Saola. Due to habitat destruction and poaching, the Saola population is now restricted to a few isolated pockets. There are so few left that they are now vulnerable to inbreeding and other dangers associated with extremely small populations. If all the hunting pressure is removed, it is likely that all Saola subpopulations will reach extinction in the next 10 to 15 years.
How to Help the Saola
Saving Saola from extinction is certainly not an easy job, but there are some promising opportunities out there that can bring the animal back to a sustainable population size. You can consider making a contribution to the Saola Conservation Fund. Your gift will be used to support Saola conservation projects in Vietnam and Laos. Your contribution will be put to work immediately – either to provide funding for current projects or to assist conservation priorities as they become available.