With its unusually long horns and characteristic white markings on the face, the saola is a strong symbol for biodiversity in Lao and Vietnam.
Discovered in May 1992, during a joint survey carried out by the Ministry of Forestry of Vietnam and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in the Vu Quang Nature Reserve (north-central Vietnam), the species remains almost as elusive today as it was more than a decade ago.
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, although the actual size of the remaining population is unknown.
The saola's rarity, distinctiveness and vulnerability make it one of the greatest priorities for conservation in the region.