In the dense forests of Annnamite mountainsbetween Vietnam and Laos, he lives – or perhaps lived – one of the rarer animals on the planet: the saolanicknamed “Asian unicorn“Despite the suggestive name, this mammal does not have a lone horn, but Two long parallel horns and an aspect that recalls an intersection between cow and goat.
Since he was discovered in 1993, no researcher has ever observed him alive in his natural environment. The last certain photo dates back to 2013 And since then Sola has become a ghost of biodiversity. But now there is a new hope. An international group of scientists has sequenzaiated the sala genomeanalyzing biological remains such as bones and fabrics recovered from local villages. This important milestone, published in the magazine Cellopens new possibilities for the conservation of the species.
Thanks to Complete genetic mappingthe researchers discovered that saola belongs to a unique evolutionary branch, separated by cattle and buffaloes 14 million years ago. Furthermore, the study revealed the existence of Two distinct populations of Sola, separated from 5,000 to 20,000 years. Each group has lost part of its own genetic variabilitybut together they could complementcrucial information for a possible program of REPRODUCTION IN CADY.
What are the possible scenarios
The problem is that No saola is now in captivity And maybe nobody is still alive in nature. However the new reference genome allows you to refine the detection techniques, such as the analysis of the Environmental DNA or the blood found in the Morsi of leechesmethods already in use to trace its presence.
If you cannot find any specimen, the sequensed DNA could one day serve for a project of de-extinctionsimilar to those in progress for the woolly mammoth. It is a controversial hypothesis, but technically possible.
Meanwhile, the genetic models suggest that cross individuals of the two genetic lines It would improve the health and survival of the species. But scientists warn that genetics is only a part of the problem: a wider reflection on conservation strategiesbefore planning an active intervention.
Even if the saola could have already disappeared, science has not lost hope: today more than ever, the Modern genetics It could be the key to bringing back to light one of the most elusive animals of our time.
