Search for Elusive Saola Faces Uncertain Future Amid Funding Losses

The search for the saola, also known as the Asian unicorn, is facing an uncertain future due to funding losses. The Saola Foundation, which organizes the search, has been frantically raising funds to keep the search going. The team had to cancel their October expedition due to a sharp contraction in funding, but thanks to donations from zoos, they have secured funding for the month. However, fundraising continues for future months. The saola is considered one of the world's most endangered large animals, with fewer than 50 individuals thought to remain in the wild. The species has remained largely unchanged for 15 million years and is found in the biodiverse Annamite Mountains, which straddle the border region of Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The last confirmed record of the saola was a camera-trap photograph in 2013.