Source : Thanh Nien Daily Vietnam, 04 Feb '05
By : Lien Chau
   

	A team of scientists check for pictures of the elusive animal on a remotely-operated camera

The global population of saolas stands at around 250, mostly concentrated on the Vietnamese-Laotian border.

The WWF says that number is now declining sharply.

Saolas were only discovered by zoologists in 1992 and their appearance has been stirring curiosity among hunters.

They typically have a dark brown skin with a black stripe along the back, white patches on the feet, and backward-curving horns.

The creatures are very shy and tend to die soon in captivity.

Because they are rarely seen, hunters are even more eager to kill them so that they can sell their exotic meat to restaurants.

At a recent national conference, Ha Cong Tuan, head of Vietnam's Forest Protection Agency, said the government had to work with local officials and residents to protect the species.

Eric Coull, the WWF's Greater Mekong Program representative in Vietnam, said his agency was willing to provide enough funds to help Vietnam protect the saola population.

However, the government was yet to come up with the right policies, he lamented.

Since 2001, experts say 14 of the animals were captured in the isolated Quang Nam Province area.

Between 2001 and 2005, nine more were hunted in the Dong Giang District near the Malu, Duoi, and Balou springs.

A Quang Nam resident said he shot two of the oxen near Tay Giang District and decided to keep their horns.

In March this year, a young saola was sold to a restaurant in Dong Giang.

Officials say 155 hunters in Thua Thien Hue Province admit to capturing at least one saola.

Conservation, no easy task

WWF staff traveled recently from Thua Thien Hue Province to Nam Dong District, about 51 kilometers west of Da Nang City and near the Laotian border.

Most of the district's population belongs to the Cotu tribe.

The staff was hoping to spot a real saola.

The head of Ta Vac town's forest protection unit, a Cotu man in his mid-50s, told them that most of the town officials did not realize the value of the saola or understand that the species was facing extinction.

“I have only seen a saola in pictures shown by provincial officials who told us they were invaluable. After that, we began to prohibit local residents and hunters from hunting them.”

Most local officials in provinces and towns have limited access to information about the species.

Scientists have yet to come up with a comprehensive plan to preserve and increase their number.

The conservation process faces difficulties since saolas cannot live in captivity and are very sensitive to noise.

However, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam recently signed an agreement to protect saolas.

The provinces agreed to set up two conservation areas with an area of 121 square kilometers near the Bach Ma National Reserve.

The reserve , with total area of 2,920 sqr.km., spreads from the coast to the Xe Sap National Protected Area.