Three decades ago, in 1992, a strange skull was procured in a local hunter’s house by a vietnam forest survey team. This skull features a pair of long and pointed horns which unlike any animal then known from Southeast Asia. Later, the team found more sets of horns and proved that they belonged to a large mammal species first discovered in 50 years. The team described this animal as a bovid species and used the local language to give it a name, “Saola ”, which can be translated as “spindle” reflecting the size and shape of their horns. The scientific name for this species, “nghetinhensis” means “polite animals” because they move in the forest quietly. And in the press, people like to call Saolas the “Asian Unicorn”, which may link to the “Chinese Unicorn” Qilin, because of their unique appearances. 

Another feature of Saolas is their rarity and exclusiveness. Until now, only about 10 Saolas are caught alive and all of them have died within a few months due to the lack of professional care. The last time the camera took an image of Saola in nature was 10 years ago. Most information we know about Saola was provided by local villagers, from their descriptions and a few photos, Saola has chocolate brown coats, a pair of long, gently curving horns, and a striking pattern of white markings on the head. They are usually in small groups of two or three and active in day as well as night. Until now, Saola is still an enigma for both the public and scientists.