WWF has been involved with the protection of the saola since its discovery. The current population of wild Chinese Giant Salamanders (Andrias davidianus) is estimated to be less than 50,000. The team found a skull with unusual long, straight horns in a hunter's home and knew it was something extraordinary. Local villagers set some snares for subsistence use and crop protection. It is believed that the farmed population is over 2,000,000. Population Pyramids: WORLD - 1975. Sumatra is home to five of those heartlands both in Central and South Sumatra. The biggest threat to the Saola however, is the hunting of them for their horns which are a prized trophy amongst locals. With the population at such a critically low level, urgent conservation action is needed to bring these remarkable animal back from the brink of extinction. These are restricted to remaining forest in the Annamite Mountains between Vietnam and Lao PDR, where they are threatened with extinction by hunting and deforestation. The body of the Saola ranges in colour from chestnut brown, to red, to almost black, with a dark, narrow stripe running along the back which ends in a small and fluffy black tail. WWF claim that the rareness, distinctiveness and uniqueness of the Saola, make it one of the greatest priorities to conservation in the Indochina region today. Join us to make change. We then combined the scores for all actions into an overall conservation attention score for the species. The added pressure from rapid and large-scale infrastructure in the region is also fragmenting saola habitat. They are believed to be alpine migrants in certain areas, following the water supplies up and down the slopes. For each action, we asked experts for each species to assess the extent to which that action is being carried out and how much of the species’ range that action occurs in. With only between 250 and 300 remaining, it is the scarcest great ape species in the world. The experts also judged how important each category was to the conservation of that particular species. They are one of the most recently discovered large mammals in the world but are now also believed to be one of the rarest with estimated population numbers just in the tens of individuals. After mating, females are thought to give birth to a single calf (much in the same way as other Bovine species) after a gestation period that is thought to last for between 7 and 8 months. Although the Saola closely resembles the Arabian Desert Antelopes, they are thought to be more closely related to Wild Cattle. Saola Classification and Evolution The Saola is a species of Antelope natively found in the forests on the border of north-central Vietnam and Laos. We helped improve the management of Vu Quang Nature Reserve where the saola was discovered. However, with growing Human settlements, they have been pushed higher and higher up the slopes and are now unable to enter much of their historical forests as they simply no longer exist. The Saola's fur is relatively thin and notably soft, and covers their thick skin which is thought to help to protect them from being too badly injured from the horns of other individuals. Other indicators visualized on maps: (In English only, for now) Adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 women ages 15-19) Version 2017.1. Male Saola are thought to be highly territorial and to roam a much larger range than their female counterparts, all though, are believed to mark their territory using a sticky, smelly liquid which is secreted from their large maxillary glands. These most commonly contain either two or three individuals, but claims from villagers suggest that they can congregate in herds of up to seven members. We combined all of the expert information on conservation actions to calculate an overall conservation attention score for this species. Source: The IUCN List of Threatened Species. The Saola is such a distinctive and unique animal, that after their discovery in 1992, they were given a taxonomic group of their own. They are thought to lead a generally solitary lifestyle, although reports of small groups of Saola are not unknown. They reportedly keep to higher slopes in summer and descend to lower levels in winter when the upper streams dry. WWF is also working to save one of the last great stands of rain forest in Thirty Hills, or Bukit Tigapuluh, in Central Sumatra. They are incredibly rare and elusive mammals, and still today, very little is actually known about the Saola. The Saola is one of the most recently discovered large mammals, as it was first known to science as recently as May 1992. The legs of the Saola are also black in colour, but it is on their face that their most distinctive white markings are found. A score of 100 means that the action is being carried out to a high level across at least 75% of the species range. Scientists have categorically documented saola in the wild on only four occasions to date. Females have four nipples on their underside where the young can suckle milk from but very little is still known about the reproduction or the general life cycle of the elusive Saola. They are a primitive member of the ruminant artiodactyl family Bovidae, which includes antelope, buffalo, bison, cattle, goats and sheep. Please help us to reach our goal of establishing dedicated conservation attention at “High” levels for all EDGE species. The Saola is a species of Antelope natively found in the forests on the border of north-central Vietnam and Laos. Its range includes the only extensive pristine forest in the Vietnam. Available at. They are active during the day and primarily browsers, eating the leaves of fig trees and other bushes along riverbanks, as well as eating grasses and herbs from ground level. 208728. However, for our purposes, “most venomous” means “venomous animals most dangerous to humans.” One more thing […] Read More. function googleTranslateElementInit() { During a joint survey that was conducted by the Ministry of Forestry of Vietnam and WWF, the unique horns of the Saola was spotted in the houses of local hunters, which led to an investigation into the animal and the areas in which it lived. Make a symbolic animal adoption to help save some of the world's most endangered animals from extinction and support WWF's conservation efforts. The colour shows how important each action is considered to be for the conservation of this species. They have however been noted in 15 small pockets of forest between the two countries, generally at a mid-altitude range (between 400 meters and 1,000 meters above sea level). The actual size of the remaining population is unknown. The Saola is most commonly found in dense, evergreen forests that are moist and have a good source of running water. Although they are thought to exist in certain areas, no-one really knows for sure due to the lack of a proper formal survey. To answer the question, let’s first define “most venomous.” After all, some folks may calculate venomosity using a potency-versus-size calculation; others may focus on victim statistics across the animal kingdom. }, The Zoological Society of London is incorporated by Royal Charter – Registered Charity in England and Wales no. The Saola is also known as the Asian Unicorn, which is not thought to be particularly related to its long horns, but more the fact that it is just so rare.

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