The saola has long sharp horns up to 20 inches long in both males and females. They live in the forests of Vietnam and Laos, eating leafy plants and fig leaves. Major threats include hunting through snares intended for other animals, loss of habitat to agriculture and infrastructure, and hunting for their prized horns. With a population possibly as low as a few dozen, the saola is a top conservation priority due to its rarity, uniqueness, and vulnerability.

2. Appearance
 Both males and females have long, sharp horns that can
reach 20 inches in length.
 The face has striking white markings including a stripe
above each eye.
 Saola's skin is thick and it prevents serious injuries when
two saolas collide during fight for females or territory.

3. Habitat
• The saola inhabits the Annamite Range’s moist forests and the eastern Indochina dry
and monsoon forests.
• Since saola shares its habitat with tigers and crocodiles, these species are considered
to be its worst enemies.
• Unfortunately, soala cannot survive long period in captivity.

4. Diet
Saola are reported to browse on leafy plants, fig leaves, and stems along rivers.

5. Threats
The main threats to the saola are hunting and fragmentation of its range
through habitat loss:
- Snares set in the forest for wild boar, sambar or barking deer which also trap
saola.
- As forests disappear under the chainsaw to make way for agriculture,
plantations and infrastructure, saola are being squeezed into smaller spaces.

7. Saola are also hunted for the horns which have become prized trophies.

8. WHY THEY MATTER?
The actual size of the remaining population is unknown. Its rarity, distinctiveness and
vulnerability make it one of the greatest priorities for conservation in the region. The
current population is thought to be a few hundred at a maximum and possibly
only a few dozen at a minimum.