Rare and Elusive Mammal Saola Rediscovered in Vietnam [VIDEO]

One of the world's most rarest and threatened mammals, saola, was rediscovered for the first time in 15 years in a remote region of Vietnam. Conservationists believe this to be the first saola sighting in the wild in 21^st Century.

For the first time in 15 years, the mysterious animal known for its long, parallel horns was photographed in Vietnam by a camera trap that was set up by the WWF and the Forest Protection Department of Vietnam government. This latest sighting highlights the conservation efforts in critical saola habitat.

"This is a monumental find and comes at a critical moment in time for saola conservation," Dr. Barney Long, Director, Species Conservation Program at WWF, said in a press statement. "It's a huge reward for decades of tireless work by the provincial government that established the saola reserve, community snare removal teams and WWF biologists. Now it's time to double our efforts to recover this iconic species."

The critically endangered saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) also known as the Asian unicorn is a relative of cow, even though it looks like an antelope. It resides in the foothills of Annamite Mountains in Vietnam and Laos. Saolas never barge into the cultivated fields or come close to villagers.

The elusive mammal was first discovered in May 1992 during a joint survey that was conducted by the Ministry of Forestry of Vietnam and WWF in north central Vietnam.

Saolas have white markings on their face and large maxillary gland on the muzzle that they used to mark their territory and also attract mates. An estimated 100 saolas might now exist in the wild. The exact population is still unknown due to difficulty in finding the animal. Saola remain as a top priority for conservation in the region.

William Robichaud, Coordinator of the Saola Working Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission concluded saying, "These are the most important wild animal photographs taken in Asia, and perhaps the world, in at least the past decade. They are also inspiring evidence of the effectiveness of the forest guards model to keep saola from sliding into the abyss of extinction. But more support is needed, so that WWF and other partners can scale up the initiative to additional parts of the saola's range."

According to WWF, more than 30,000 snares, which are mainly set to catch other animals like deer, have been removed by forest guard since 2011.