Saving the "Modern Day Unicorn" from Extinction

Written by Jaymi Heimbuch

One of the rarest and most elusive animals on the planet is the saola, a relative of the ox though it looks closer to a deer or antelope with it’s dainty features and two distinctive horns. Two years ago, the species made news after the capture of a saola in Annamite Mountains, an event that almost never happens. While the animal died shortly after being captured, it has helped conservationists understand much more about this virtually unknown mammal.

The saola is nicknamed the Asian Unicorn not only for its physical features but also because none have ever survived in captivity. Still, conservationists created a nature reserve in central Vietnam for the critically endangered species. The Saola Working Group is focused on keeping the species alive and hopefully bring numbers back up from decline due to hunting and snaring within its limited habitat where it ends up as “by-catch”.

As the group states, “There are few anaimals as phylogentically distinctive and so threatened with extinction, yet with so little conservation attention.”

Bill Robichaud, Coordinator of the IUCN/SSC Saola Working Group, will be speaking at the Wildlife Conservation Network Expo in San Francisco on October 13, 2012. It is rare we get a chance to act on behalf of a species we didn’t even know about until so recently. If you’re in the area, mark your calendar to attend!

This post was originally published by TreeHugger.

Read more: asian unicorn, endangered species, saola

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Kim S.

10:50PM PDT on Jul 25, 2012

Who wouldn't want to save the unicorns?

July 25
send a green star

Bobbi M.

12:34PM PDT on Jul 25, 2012

This animal is no where near a "unicorn" "Uni" means "One" or "single"..This creature has TWO horns... This creature greatly resembles the African Gemsbuck. The picture used for this article is of an eye of a horse, which this animal does not resemble at all... Search Google images, and you will see what I mean. I do hope that we can somehow save the species, but trying to get everyone hyped up about it by misleading them, and not using a picture of the actual animal when one is available, is just wrong.

Liz C.

12:22PM PDT on Jul 25, 2012

It's so sad that in the last 100 years or so, we have lost so many species and sub-species, due to mans' obsession with dominating and killing everything he finds in his path. These men who decided to shoot the last one left, were completely selfish, with absolutely no regard for the future generations, that may have wanted a chance to view the animal that they decided they had the right to take out. These kind of men are repulsive, barbaric and revolting and don't belong amidst the rest of us, who respect and appreciate Gods gifts to mankind and our earth.

Katherine W.

9:33AM PDT on Jul 11, 2012

Let's hope this one can be saved.....

July 11
send a green star

Ce E.

11:35PM PDT on Jul 9, 2012

Every time I hear of a new species being discovered, I get sad; I just think "Great, now we can destroy it too". Hopefully, this species continues to be greatly elusive.