The name ‘saola’ has been translated as ” spindle [-horned]”, although the precise meaning is actually “spinning-wheel post horn”. The name comes from a Tai language of Vietnam. The meaning is the same in Lao language (ເສົາຫລາ, also spelled ເສົາຫຼາ /sǎo-lǎː/ in Lao).
What is a saola and where do they live?
The Saola was only discovered in 1992 and since then has only been photographed three times in the wild. They are known as the ‘Asian Unicorns’. The Saola, pronounced sow-la, meaning ‘spindle horns’ in Vietnamese, is found in only one place in the world: the Annamite Mountains forests on the border between Vietnam and Laos.
It is said that the Saola’s horns resemble these spinning wheel posts. The name can also be translated as “spindle-horned.” 2) The most common nickname for the Saola, as previously discussed, is the Asian unicorn. But its two other common names are the Vu Quang bovid and Vu Quang ox.
Another thing we asked ourselves was what is the scientific name for a saola?
Some authors claimed for typhoons named Saola, see Typhoon Saola. The saola ( Pseudoryx nghetinhensis ), also called spindlehorn, Asian unicorn, or infrequently, Vu Quang bovid, is one of the world’s rarest large mammals, a forest-dwelling bovine native to the Annamite Range in Vietnam and Laos.
How was the saola discovered?
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. At the time of its discovery, the saola was the first large mammal new to science since the 1940s.
Why is the saola called the asian unicorn?
The Saola (pronounced sow-la—scientific name Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) has been referred to as the Asian unicorn because it is so rare and seldom seen. It is also Critically Endangered, with no more than several hundred individuals remaining in several isolated areas of tropical forest stretching along the border between Vietnam and Laos.
The most common answer is, the Saola in the image is Martha, one of the few Asian unicorns ever lived in captivity. Robichaud studied Martha in 1996. Unfortunately, she died in captivity after only 15 days.
While writing we ran into the inquiry “How many babies does a saola Asian unicorn have?”.
One answer was the Saola Asian unicorn has a similar lifestyle; the females live with their young ones, while the male Saolas prefer a solitary life. The gestation period of the Saola lasts for approximately 8 months; almost as long as human pregnancy. Normally, only one baby calf is born between April and June.
What is the Asian unicorn with two horns called?
While the Asian unicorn Saola has two horns instead of one, and it has never lived in China, it is believed it might have even inspired the Chinese unicorn myth. And of course, the Saola Asian unicorn is very hard to spot, just like the classic unicorn.