The Saola

The Saola (sow-la), or “Asian unicorn” has 2 sharp long horns that can go up to 20 inches in length. Meaning “Spindle horns” in Vietnamese, it was discovered in May 1992 in a hunter’s home when they noticed a strange skull with sharp horns. The Saola before then was unknown. They are found only in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and Laos.

The Saola weighs an average of 170-225 lbs and tops at 33 inches height. They habitat evergreen forests with little to no dry season. Their population has an estimate of 750 left in the wild.

The Saola is critically endangered, and very little is known about them. There are none in captivity and have only been documented in the wild 4 times.

(A drawing of a Saola)