Thekq u19 duc saola, which is considered by researchers as the “unicorn”, is in danger of extinction.

Saola was discovered in 1999 in Duong Hoa. Photo: WWF

The very rare species

After a long time being considered to be extinct, a saola was first discovered in 1992 during a survey trip to Vu Quang National Park, organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in collaboration with Vietnamese ministries and departments. After searching efforts, they continued to discover 20 more saolas in the same year. At that time, experts and scientists affirmed that the saola was the world's rarest animal still existing in the natural forests of the Truong Son range.

It was not until 1999 that in Ho village, Duong Hoa commune (Huong Thuy town), local people discovered a male saola weighing 52 kg. At the same time, in Huong Nguyen commune (A Luoi, Thua Thien Hue), a pregnant female saola, which was 80kg, appeared. Also in the area of ​​Huong Nguyen commune, they discovered another saola weighing 10 kg one year later. The occurrence of saolas marked a significant "milestone" in the efforts to find this rare species. It not only contributed to the biodiversity in Thua Thien Hue, the Truong Son range but also the world.

Mr. Nguyen Dai Anh Tuan, Director of Provincial Forest Protection Department informed that in 1996-1997, the department had coordinated with domestic and international organizations to conduct hundreds of surveys in order to determine the distribution of the saola in the province. Via some technologies of searching, surveying and tracing, it had been found that the saola has still existed in natural forests in 19 communes of A Luoi, Nam Dong, Phong Dien, and 2 towns of Huong Thuy, Huong Tra.

From the searching efforts and remarkable results, nearly 4 years ago (in late 2013), the Provincial People's Committees decided to establish the Saola Protected Area with an area of ​​over 15.5 thousand hectares. The objectives of the Protected Area was not only to protect the lives of this rare species but also preserve and enhance the biodiversity of natural forests. In the conservation process of the saola, the researchers also discovered 2 species of giant muntjac (muntiacus vuquangensis) and Truong Son muntjac (muntiacus truongsonensis)...

Since the last time one more saola was captured by the local people in 2010 and died a week later. Up to now, researchers as well as the residents have not directly recognized the occurrence of this animal in the nature. Experts and scientists only discovered saolas by camera traps, and found some individuals living in forests in Laos and Vietnam. The latest finding was in 2013, when the WWF discovered the saola in Central Vietnam via camera trapping.

Saola was discovered in 1999 in Huong Nguyen commune. Photo: WWF