Geographic Range
Pseudoryx nghetinhensis
is found in few mountainous areas of Vietnam and Laos PDR (People's Democratic Republic),
near the Lao PDR and Vietnam border. Saola have one of the smallest ranges of mammals
in the world, and are found in only 6 provinces in Vietnam and 3 provinces in Laos
PDR.
Habitat
Saola prefer broadleaf evergreen forests that are in the wet lowland Annamite Mountains
of Laos PDR and Vietnam, including marshes and swamps. They are found at elevations
between 400 and 750 m. The habitat has long rainy seasons with high average annual
rainfall
- Habitat Regions
- tropical
- terrestrial
- Terrestrial Biomes
- forest
- rainforest
Physical Description
Saloa are large animals, measuring around 150 cm and weighing in between 80 and 100 kg. Although not reported for soala, sexual dimorphism is common in bovids, and may occur in this species.
Both males and female saola have horns that are probably used for protection against predators. The common name, saola, means "spinning wheel posts" in the local language. This name was probably given to the species because of the way the horns resemble tapered posts of a spinning wheel.
These animals have brown noses. The pelage consists of different shades of brown.
Some have white patches on the side of neck. A black stripe extends from the shoulders
to the lower back. The underside of is a lighter shade of brown than the upper body.
The tail is striped, with brown, black, and cream colors. The rump is marked by a
cream colored band which extends horizontally from the top of one hind leg to the
other. White bands encircle the lower leg, just above the hooves. The face has white
patches that conceal small dermal nodules that may be scent glands. Saola have possibly
the largest maxillary glands of any living mammal.
- Other Physical Features
- endothermic
- homoiothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes alike
Development
Little is known about the development of saola
Reproduction
Mating takes place between August and November. It is unknown if saola exhibit any
mating rituals.
There is little information available on the mating systems of saola, but estimations were made from examining a dead pregnant female. Saola give birth between April and June. It is not known whether saola use their horns as display for mating purposes. They are similar to other Bovinae , like four-horned antelope , in that gestation lasts 8 months. Saola only have one offspring per litter.
Other information on reproduction in this species is not available. These animals
were only recently recognized as a species, and are quite rare.
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- seasonal breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- fertilization
- viviparous
There is little information available on parental investment of saola, although Artiodactyl young are generally precocious. Like other members of the family, it is likely that most parental care is provided by the mother. Young receive nourishment from mother's milk, protection from mother, and probably some form of grooming. It has not been reported how long young are dependent upon the mother, although if soloa are like other members of the family, it is likely to be around one year.
- Parental Investment
-
pre-fertilization
- provisioning
-
protecting
- female
-
pre-hatching/birth
-
provisioning
- female
-
protecting
- female
-
provisioning
-
pre-weaning/fledging
-
provisioning
- female
-
protecting
- female
-
provisioning
Lifespan/Longevity
Little is known about the life span in the wild, but in captivity, saola generally
do not survive greater than 5 months. This is probably due to stress and lack of
proper nutrition. Other members of the subfamiliy
Bovinae
can live 15 to20 years in the wild, and it is likely that this species is similar.
Behavior
Although there are currently no studies on saola behavior in the wild, observations
have been made on captive saola. These animals seem to be active both at night and
during the day, although some familiar with saola report that wild iondividuals are
mostly active in the morning and late afternoon. Soala appear to be solitary animals.
They also seem to engage in territorial marking by snapping small saplings with their
horns. Since their horns have many scratches, it is suggested that they rub vegetation
and soil as a part of social or sexual activity. The putative scent glands on the
face of saloa may indicate some scent marking of territories.
- Key Behaviors
- terricolous
- diurnal
- crepuscular
- motile
- sedentary
- solitary
- territorial
Home Range
Saola tend to stay close to the Vietnam-Lao PD border, in the wet evergreen areas
on the Annamite Mountains. Their geographic range is small (4000 sq km) and their
home range is undetermined.
Communication and Perception
Saola in captivity have been observed bleating for unknown reasons. Some researchers
suggest that twig breaking with horns may be a form of social and/or sexual communication.
They also possess scent glands under the white markings on their faces, indicating
the importance of chemical communication in this species. Although not specifically
reported, we can infer that tactile communication is important during mating and rearing
of young. Because these animals might have some activity during daylight hours, there
may also be visual communication between individuals based on body postures and other
visual signals.
- Other Communication Modes
- scent marks
Food Habits
Saola are herbivores, primarily eating ferns and flowering plants (angiosperms).
- Plant Foods
- leaves
- flowers
Predation
Natural predators of saola are tigers, leopards, and dholes although humans are the
major predator of saola and threaten their existence. When threatened, saola use
their sharp-tipped horns for protection from predators by lowering their heads to
strike the predator. Although they don't appear to be frightened by humans, saola
are terrified of dogs. While running from predators, their glands swell and they
snort.
Ecosystem Roles
Not much is known about the role saola play in the ecosystem. Since there are few saola, they probably do not greatly impact the surrounding vegetation. Although they provide potential prey to carnivorous mammals, because they are so rare it is unlikely that saola are important in local food webs.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Saola are one of the many animals that are hunted in Vietnam and Lao PDR for meat
and hide.
- Positive Impacts
- food
- body parts are source of valuable material
- research and education
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There is no known adverse affects of saola on humans.
Conservation Status
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.
Other Comments
Pseudoryx nghetinhensis was the first new large mammal to be discovered in over 50 years. This is probably because its habitat is difficult to access, the elusive behavior of saola, and political reasons. Through further study of this species we can hopefully come to understand saola better and help these rare animals to survive and thrive in Asia. Other species recently discovered in Vietnam and Laos PDR are Megamuntiacus vuquangensis (muntjak deer) and Lophura hatinhensis (pheasant).
Saola are large mammals that resemble antelope, (family
Bovidae
and subfamily
Antilopinae
). Although they were first thought to be more closely related to members of the
subfamily
Caprinae
(which includes chamois, goats, sheep, and others), DNA evidence has recently placed
them in the subfamily
Bovinae
( which includes bison, buffalo, and cattle).
Additional Links
Contributors
Nancy Shefferly (editor), Animal Diversity Web.
Link E. Olson (editor, instructor), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Darce Holcomb (author), University of Alaska Fairbanks.
- oriental
-
found in the oriental region of the world. In other words, India and southeast Asia.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- tropical
-
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
- terrestrial
-
Living on the ground.
- forest
-
forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.
- rainforest
-
rainforests, both temperate and tropical, are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground. Epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant. Precipitation is typically not limiting, but may be somewhat seasonal.
- marsh
-
marshes are wetland areas often dominated by grasses and reeds.
- swamp
-
a wetland area that may be permanently or intermittently covered in water, often dominated by woody vegetation.
- endothermic
-
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- iteroparous
-
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- seasonal breeding
-
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- fertilization
-
union of egg and spermatozoan
- internal fertilization
-
fertilization takes place within the female's body
- viviparous
-
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female.
- diurnal
-
- active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.
- crepuscular
-
active at dawn and dusk
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- sedentary
-
remains in the same area
- solitary
-
lives alone
- territorial
-
defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- scent marks
-
communicates by producing scents from special gland(s) and placing them on a surface whether others can smell or taste them
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- food
-
A substance that provides both nutrients and energy to a living thing.
- herbivore
-
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- folivore
-
an animal that mainly eats leaves.
References
Duckworth, J., R. Salter, K. Khounboline. 1999. Wildlife in Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report. Vientiane: IUCN- The World Conservation Union/ Wildlife Conservation Society/Centre for Protected Areas and Watershed Management: 1-275. Accessed November 16, 2004 at http://wcs.org/sw-around_the_globe/Asia/laos/wildlifeinlaopdr .
Dung, V., P. Giao, N. Chinh, D. Tuoc, P. Arctander. 1993. A new species of living bovid from Vietnam. Nature , 363: 443-445.
Gatesy, J., P. Arctander. 2000. Hidden morphological support for the phylogenetic placement of Pseudoryx nghetinhensis with bovine bovids: a combined analysis of gross anatomical evidence and DNA sequences from five genes. Systematic Biology , 49/3: 515-538.
Hardcastle, J., S. Cox, N. Thi Dao, A. Johns. 2004. Rediscovering the Saola. Proceedings of the "Rediscovering the saola- a status review and conservation planning workshop": 1-115. Accessed November 14, 2004 at http://www.panda.org/downloads/ecoregions/saolaproceedingenglish.pdf .
Kemp, N., M. Dilger, N. Burgess, C. Dung. 1997. The saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis in Vietnam- new information on distribution and habitat preferences, and conservation needs. Oryx , 31/1: 37-44.
Robichaud, W. 1998. Physical and behavioral description of a captive saola, Pseudoryx nghetinhensis . Journal of Mammalogy , 79/2: 394-405.
Weitzel, V. 2004. "Australia Vietnam Science Technology Link" (On-line). New species in Vietnam. Accessed December 09, 2004 at http://coombs.anu.edu.au/~vern/species.html .
2004. "Animal Fact Sheets" (On-line). Accessed December 08, 2004 at http://www.zoo.org/educate/fact_sheets/anoa/anoa.htm .