Despite having two horns, the saola is often referred to as a "modern day unicorn"

Post by Amielle DeWan, director of Conservation Planning at Defenders of Wildlife.

Most people haven’t ever heard of a saola (pronounced “sow-la”) – one of the rarest creatures on earth. So striking and mystifying is the large mammal that it is often referred to as a modern day unicorn. Found by scientists in 1992 in the dense forests of the Annamite Mountains, along the border of Laos and Vietnam, the discovery of the saola was one of the most spectacular zoological events of the 20th century.

Sadly, we risk losing this beautiful animal before even knowing much about it. The saola is one of the rarest animals in the world, and is categorized by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Critically Endangered. In fact, while almost a quarter of all mammals face extinction in the next 30 years (a statistic shocking in itself), experts predict the saola could go extinct in just three years.

Why is the saola in so much trouble?

The saola’s decline is due mainly to the intense levels of hunting and snaring of animals valued in traditional Chinese medicine (and to a lesser extent the bushmeat trade) that occurs in its range.  Tragically, the saola is not the target species; the Chinese never knew the animal existed, and so the saola is unknown to traditional pharmacy.  In fact, this magnificent species is being driven to extinction largely as by-catch of hunting efforts targeting other species.  The remaining population is estimated at less than 250 mature individuals, with a continuing population decline. As Alternet said earlier this week, the saola is at “the last bus stop before extinction.”

The EWCL Saola team, with Defenders' Amielle DeWan on the left

Help is on the way

As part of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders Program (EWCL), I worked closely with a Saola Team and other NGO partners to help build awareness about the plight of this amazing animal and provide funding and other support for its conservation. EWCL, an effort by Defenders of Wildlife and other groups, is designed to bring together top young professionals in the wildlife conservation community and provide them with training in leadership and campaigning skills, while also offering networking and mentoring opportunities with some of the wildlife conservation community’s top professionals.

We’re working to give the world’s rarest – and largely unknown – mammal a voice. By creating outreach and education materials, launched at the saola’s premiere at the Wildlife Conservation Network Expo in San Francisco,  we hope to provide much needed awareness about saola conservation and offer a centralized source of information for the public, as well as individuals and organizations involved in saola conservation.

What can YOU do?

To learn about our work and what you can do to help, please visit us at: www.savethesaola.org

Donations to the Saola Conservation Fund will support projects in Vietnam and Laos working to save the saola.

Read more about EWCL and its work to save endangered species around the world.

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