Saola
By: Rehan Khan
Saloa
Scientific Name: Pseudoryx nghetinhensis
Other Names: Vu Quang Ox, Sao La, Sun Duang, Yang
Characteristics
Head and Body Length: Around 150 cm
Shoulder Height: 80-90 cm
Tail Length: 25cm
Adult Weight: Around 100 lbs
- Dark brown coat
- Narrow black stripe that runs down back
- White markings on face
Habitat
Saola inhabit moist forests. Saola stay in mountain forests during the wet seasons, when water in streams and rivers is abundant, and move down to the lowlands in winter.
Biomes: Tropical Rainforest
Interactions
Diet: Its diet is composed mainly of plants, seeds, and fruits.
Predators: Although they provide potential prey to carnivorous mammals, because they are so rare it is unlikely that saola are important in local food webs.
Symbiotic Relationships: It is in a mutualistic relationship with the fig tree. The Saola eats figs from the fig tree. In return, after the figs are digested the seeds are disposed in the form of waste, thus pollinating the fig tree.
Extinction
Saola are listed as endangered. The primary threat to these animals is hunting and loss of their forest habitat due to agriculture and logging. Locals place a high value on saola because of their scarcity. Many hunters also try to capture live saola because of their importance to the scientific community. Saola don't do well in captivity, and die soon after capture. Intense conservation efforts were started in 1997 to ensure the survival of these creatures.
Sources
- "Saola." A-Z Animals. Powered by OpenCrypt Membership Software Backups by myRepono Website Backup Copyright © 2008 - 2013 A-Z Animals . Web. 9 Oct 2013. <http://a-z-animals.com/animals/saola/>.
- "Saola." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation, 7 october 2013. Web. 9 Oct 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saola>.
- Holcomb, D. 2005. "Pseudoryx nghetinhensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed October 09, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pseudoryx_nghetinhensis/