Asian unicorn seen for the first time in a decade

One of the world's rarest animals, the saola, knwon as the "Asian unicorn", has been seen for the forst time in more than a decade. However, the animal died after been captured by villagers in a remote region of Laos.

The critically endangered mammal, which is found in the mountains of Vietnam and Laos, was first discovered in 1992. It looks similar to the antelopes of North Africa, but is more closely related to wild bulls and cows. It is so difficult to see that it has been compared to the unicorn, although it has two horns. It has never been seen by conservation experts in the wild and the last confirmed sighting was from camera traps in 1999.

The animal is listed as critically endangered, with just a few hundred thought to exist in the wild. Conservationists said that with none in zoos and almost nothing known about how to keep them in captivity, if the species disappear in the wild they will be extinct.

The Laos government said villagers in the country's central province of Bolikhamxay captured the saola in late August and brought it back to their village. A team was sent to examine and release the animal. Unfortunately the adult male saola was weakened by several days in captivity and died shortly after the team reached the remote village. It was photographed while still alive.

It is not clear why the villagers, who found the animal in the village's sacred forest, took the saola into captivity, but the authorities are asking farmers in the area not to capture them.

Adapted from an article in The Telegraph. Picture: PA.