Saola

Physical Description

With its unusually long horns and characteristic white markings on the face, the saola is a strong symbol for biodiversity in Lao and Vietnam.
The saola has two parallel horns with sharp ends, which can reach 50cm. These are found on both males and females, probably as a means of defense.

Size

Weight: 80-100kg
Height: around 85cm

Population & Distribution

Despite the little information available on this saola, there is no doubt that its existence is severely threatened. Since its discovery, it is believed to have rapidly declined in the face of ever-growing hunting pressure. No formal surveys have been undertaken to determine accurate population numbers, but IUCN estimates the total saola population to be less than 750, likely to be much less.

Saola are distributed in scattered locations in the Annamites, along the northwest-southeast Vietnam – Lao border. In Vietnam, the species is distributed from the Ca River in the north to Quang Nam province in the south, but its exact limits are not clearly understood.

Within this area, distribution is patchy. In Lao, there are confirmed reports of the species in the southern part of Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA (National Biodiversity Conservation Area). Reports of saola south of this area include Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Hue and Quang Nam in Vietnam and Sekong in Lao.

Breeding

The species appears to have a fixed breeding season: in Lao, births take place at the beginning of the rains, between April and June. Gestation has been estimated at about 8 months.