The first vu quang ox or saola seen in 11 years has been caught in Laos. The animal was captured by villagers in the central province of Bolikhamxay who brought it back to their village. The Bolikhamxay Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office immediately sent a technical team, advised by the IUCN Saola Working Group. Unfortunatly the animal died after several days in captivity.
"The death of this Saola is unfortunate," says the Provincial Conservation Unit of Bolikhamxay Province. "But at least it confirms an area where it still occurs and the government will immediately move to strengthen conservation efforts there."
The animal was reportedly found in the village's sacred forest in remote Xaychamphon District, but it is not clear why the villagers took it into captivity. After its death the technical team took the carcass to Pakxan, the provincial capital, where biologists from WCS and the Lao government preserved all parts for analysis, future study and reference. This is the first Saola specimen to be so completely preserved. But with probably only a few hundred vu-quang ox left the animal's death is a tragedy.
"The death of this Saola is unfortunate," says the Provincial Conservation Unit of Bolikhamxay Province. "But at least it confirms an area where it still occurs and the government will immediately move to strengthen conservation efforts there."
The animal was reportedly found in the village's sacred forest in remote Xaychamphon District, but it is not clear why the villagers took it into captivity. After its death the technical team took the carcass to Pakxan, the provincial capital, where biologists from WCS and the Lao government preserved all parts for analysis, future study and reference. This is the first Saola specimen to be so completely preserved. But with probably only a few hundred vu-quang ox left the animal's death is a tragedy.
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