The Saola, from an “extinct” species to an icon of augmented reality
The best inspirations are found in nature; this adage has rarely been more true than for the Saola, a small and very unusual antelope from Asian countries, and for the augmented reality studio which will borrow its name. Little connection do you find? Not so sure when you know the studio's approach. But first let's start by introducing this charming animal.
An antelope with a very unusual destiny
And a story worthy of a film for this large mammal which had definitely asked nothing of anyone.
Discovered, disappeared… then rediscovered!
We started to mention it a little above, the Saola is an antelope living in the mountainous jungles of the Annamite range, located in Vietnam. This large mammal from the Bovidae family, which can measure 90 cm at the withers and weigh more than 100 kg, has an elegant speckled brown coat as well as long pointed horns which gave it the nickname “Asian Unicorn”. But this nickname may have another origin, especially when we know to what extent this solitary antelope has kept lovers of cryptozoology (the study of animals not officially discovered) in suspense for years.
Indeed, long considered a myth, due to its timid nature as well as the difficulty of accessing its place of life, the Saola could only be officially observed at the beginning of the 90s. With a first specimen captured by chance in 1994.
But, hunted by the natives and with an already extremely small population, the Saola disappeared from the radar in 1999 despite significant research campaigns. It will thus be declared an extinct species, barely 6 years after its official discovery...
But another twist: in 2010, 11 years after its official disappearance, a specimen of Saola was captured by villagers, once again setting the scientific community in turmoil. In 2013, new individuals were spotted in the Vu Quang natural park in Vietnam, further boosting the interest and desire of wildlife protection associations to preserve the species at all costs. Today, several groups of individuals are recorded in Southeast Asia.
A story with a happy ending, isn't it? Nothing is less certain, because history, and especially the extreme vulnerability of the Saola, highlight a reality that is not very encouraging for the entire animal kingdom.
The symptomatic example of an era that is putting nature to the test
This seems systematic: As soon as a slightly unusual animal is presented in a scientific article, a video or an animal report, the same remark is inevitably made: Endangered species; critically endangered species; vulnerable species; threatened... It is believed that half of the animal and plant species are threatened with disappearing within the year!
Well, yes… that’s almost it, the reality for much of the planet’s wild flora and fauna.
According to the French committee of the IUCN, these are “One species of mammals in four, one bird in seven, more than one amphibian in three and a third of conifer species [which] are threatened with global extinction”.
The case of Saola, which dangerously juggles between survival and disappearance, is more than alarming, especially since it is not an isolated case. The times in which we live remain deleterious for the animal kingdom, with a general and political awareness that seems to have difficulty materializing through real actions.
However, we all have, at our level, the possibility of acting in one way or another. And this concerns us too, at Saola studio.
A source of inspiration for Saola Studio and its augmented reality creations
If the case of the Saola is encouraging, it remains no less worrying, and this must push us to act so that this large mammal, as well as the thousands of other animals in its case, does not disappear again. Everyone can act in their own way, and Saola Studio has found its own.
This inspiring story that moves us to action, one way or another
We have already been able to address it on our website, the very particular history of the Saola and the highlighting of its fragility is one of the things that pushed us to create our augmented reality creation studio.
More than the technique and the spectacular aspect around our immersive experiences, we seek above all to tell meaningful stories, in order to educate and raise awareness as many people as possible about important causes such as this one. The protection of animal and plant species is absolutely important to us, and we are proud to be able to contribute (at our level) to encouraging it thanks to the augmented reality exhibitions that we offer. This technology makes tangible elements that we usually observe with an external eye; its impact and the awareness it implies are therefore all the greater, particularly among the youngest.
But seeking to raise awareness through immersive augmented reality technology is not the only way (and fortunately!) to defend the cause of species threatened with extinction. Much simpler ways exist
Between extinct species and those that threaten to become extinct, how can we act?
If basic actions are within everyone's reach to slow down the erosion of biodiversity (particularly with the reduction of one's own carbon impact), the best methods if one wishes to commit to the protection of threatened species are simply summarized : Donation and volunteering.
Volunteering is certainly not always easy to set up when you already have a busy professional life. However, many serious associations offer to act in our place for the protection of sensitive species, thanks to donations from individuals. This is the case of the Jane Goodall Institute in France and Bloom, two organizations that we support at Saola Studio. So do not hesitate to follow the previous links if you too wish to act so that the Saola (as well as a multitude of other fascinating species) can continue to live alongside us on this beautiful planet.
A French pioneer in the creation of immersive experiences in augmented reality, Saola Studio is a team of multidisciplinary experts, each of whom is committed to transmitting knowledge and love of biodiversity through unique exhibitions. Discover Revivre and Grand Large, our 2 exhibitions on the theme of extinct species and marine fauna and do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in setting up your own project!