Endangered Land Animals
Saola
The saola is currently one of the rarest large animals on Earth. They are only found in the dense, mysterious forests of the Annamite Mountains of Laos and Vietnam. They are so hard to find that the the saola wasn't discovered until 1992. Their graceful appearance and long, thin horns earn them the nickname of "Asian Unicorn". Sadly, there are so few of them that they might as well be a myth.
Threats to the Saola
- Bycatch as a result of hunting animals to use in traditional Asian medicine
- Habitat Loss
- Negative effects of having a small population that is widely separated
Saiga Antelope
Saiga antelope are one of the most threatened species on the planet. The saiga population has crashed by 95% in the last 15 years, which is the fastest decline ever recorded for a mammal species. These unique creatures used to number in the millions, and took part in one of the most amazing migrations on the planet. The saiga's range extends through Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, and Uzbekistan. Unfortunately, in 2015, over 200,000 saiga died due to a respiratory illness, taking the species into critically endangered status. That isn't their only problem either. Saiga are widely hunted for their meat and their horns are used in "medicine", making them that much more likely to become extinct in the near future.