Rare, Critically Endangered 'Asian Unicorn' Caught on Camera (Video)

Have you ever heard of the Asian Unicorn? What zoologists refer to as the saola, one of the most rare species in the world, has actually been captured on film for the first time in the 21^st century.

The mystical creature mildly resembles an antelope with two razor-sharp horns that are approximately 50 inches. This forest dwelling creature from the Bovidae family received its nickname both for its impressive horns and its location in the home of Vietnam and Laos.

"When our team first looked at the photos we couldn't believe our eyes. Saola are the holy grail for South-east Asian conservationists so there was a lot of excitement," Doctor Van Ngoc Thinh, World Wildlife Fund-Vietnam's Country Director said in a statement. "This is a breath-taking discovery and renews hope for the recovery of the species."

Director of the Species Conservation Program, WWF, Doctor Barney Long discussed the animals harsh conditions as it is critically endangered at this time.

"This is a monumental find and comes at a critical moment in time for saola conservation," he said, according to the organization. "It's a huge reward for decades of tireless work by the provincial government who established the saola reserve, community snare removal teams and WWF biologists, said. "Now it's time to double our efforts to recover this iconic species."

As the saola proved to the be first new mammal to be discovered in half a century, many are caught in wire snares set by hunters meant to catch other animals, such as deer or civets.

"Since 2011, forest guard patrols in the CarBi area have removed more than 30,000 snares from this critical saola habitat and destroyed more than 600 illegal hunters' camps," Dr. Van Ngoc said. "Confirmation of the presence of the saola in this area is a testament to the dedicated and tireless efforts of these forest guards."

Want to see this rare animal in action? Check out this video, courtesy of YouTube.