Saola Skull | Slide Mouse
The saola pseudoryx nghetinhensis was discovered as skeletal remains in may of 1992 by surveyors from the ministry of forestry of vietnam and the world wildlife fund who were mapping the vu quang nature reserve of north central vietnam.
Saola skull. Researchers discovered the saola in 1992 by coming across the skull of a saola in a hunter s house in a remote village in vietnam. Even though discovered in may 1992 not much is known about this animal. The saola pseudoryx nghetinhensis also called siola vu quang ox spindlehorn asian unicorn or infrequently the vu quang bovid is one of the world s rarest large mammals a forest dwelling bovine found only in the annamite range of vietnam and laos. This species the saola was discovered during a joint survey in may 1992.
The saola was discovered in may 1992 during a joint survey carried out by the ministry of forestry of vietnam and wwf in north central vietnam. The annamite mountains forests on the border between vietnam and laos. By looking at the skull the team of discoverers knew that this was an incredible discovery of a new animal. At the time of its discovery the saola was the first large mammal new to science since the 1940s.
The team found a skull with unusual long straight horns in a hunter s home and knew it was something extraordinary. The saola pronounced sow la meaning spindle horns in vietnamese is found in only one place in the world. Human knowledge of this creature only extends back two decades to may 1992 when the vietnamese ministry of forestry and the wwf came across the skull of an unidentifiable two horned mammal in the home of a hunter.