It is one of the most secret jungles of the world. The Annamese Mountains, or the Annamite Range, which runs between Vietnam and Laos, harbours a vast number of animal species, each one rarer and more unknown than the last. First up is the saola, a species of cattle that could be mistaken for an antelope. Discovered in 1992, scientists only know of it from a few images and one saola caught by villagers in 2010 that died within a few days. Its next sighting in the Annamese Mountains did not occur until 2013, when the saola was observed with the camera traps of a WWF team.
The Annamite Range harbours a vast number of animal species, each one rarer and more unknown than the last.
During two expeditions, scientists gathered eDNA samples from rivers, ponds and lakes in the region in an effort to follow the tracks of the last saolas and identify other rare species. Conditions were often difficult: vegetation was dense, leeches were everywhere and there was even a typhoon. In the end, the samples revealed the presence of several rare species, such as the giant muntjac – a critically endangered deer – and the Asian black bear. However, there was no trace of the saola, casting an even darker shadow over the future of this almost mythical species. During the fieldwork, some 15 local WWF and regional natural park officials were trained in how to collect eDNA samples. This will help them to continue tracking in the future.
© Jean-Baptiste Decotte
