Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis)

The saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), often called the "Asian unicorn," is one of the world's rarest mammals. Discovered only in 1992 in the Annamite Mountains along the Vietnam-Laos border, this elusive forest-dwelling bovine remains critically endangered with possibly fewer than 100 individuals remaining. With its distinctive parallel horns and white facial markings, the saola has never been studied in the wild by scientists. Habitat loss and hunting traps set for other animals continue to threaten this mysterious species. The saola's extreme rarity and brief known history make it one of zoology's most enigmatic creatures and a top conservation priority in Southeast Asia.