Re-Purposed Poaching Snare Program
The saola is a critically endangered mammal endemic to the Annamite Mountains of Laos and Vietnam.
Known as the Asian unicorn, this elusive mammal is disappearing primarily due to poaching in its habitat for animals that have value on the black market. At Henry Vilas Zoo, we have partnered with the Saola Foundation for Annamite Mountains Conservation to raise funds for the conservation of saola and all of the other animals that call this region home.
Saola conservationists and anti-poaching teams have collected hundreds of poaching snares from Laos and Vietnam, and brought them back to our Education Department. We cleaned them up and converted them into unique, handcrafted goods (hope catchers, key chains, and ornaments/wall hangings) that we sell to raise funds for the Saola Foundation.
These funds are being used to support a massive search for the remaining saola using the latest tracking methods and a local team of highly trained experts and global collaborators. Follow the exciting search for saola at https://www.saolafoundation.org/.
Crafts like these are available for purchase during our Conservation Awareness Days as well as in the Gift Shop at Henry Vilas Zoo.
