Supporting the Saola Foundation's Management and Field Team through an unforeseen funding gap

© W Robichaud/WCS

The emergency

Detecting where Saola populations persist is one of the most pressing conservation issues in Southeast Asia. The Saola Foundation has spent the last few years building up its capability to detect Saola, including through the use of detection dogs and DNA sampling of ungulate faeces.

The unexpected loss of a major donor and rising costs in DNA consumables placed substantial financial pressures on the ability of the foundation's field team to continue operating.

Results

The support provided for the salaries of the national team in Lao, enabled the Saola Foundation to continue critical negotiations to finalise a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Lao. At the same time it allowed them to invest heavily in capacity building for its multidisciplinary Annamite Mountains Research and Conservation Team in preparation for an intensive search for evidence of wild Saola through field surveys in key areas of Bolikhamxay Province, Lao.

Reports

AT A GLANCE

Organisation: Saola Foundation for Annamite Mountains Conservation

Country: Lao PDR

Year project started: 2024

Species: Saola

Supported by: Fondation Segré