LAOS -   A rare Asian unicorn was spotted and captured. Then, it mysteriously died.

An asian unicorn (also called a saola) is one of the world’s rarest animals. It was recently sighted in Laos for the first time in a more than three decades.  This rare two-horned unicorn thrilled zoologists around the globe who flew to Laos to examine the animal.  Unfortunately,  the animal, an adult male, was dead.  He apparently had been killed by someone or something.

The unicorn was photographed while still alive.

Unicorns were thought to be mythological creature, but there have been many sightings of unicorns over the centuries, and for some peculiar reason, most of them have been in the past decade.

The unicorn is known to be a beautiful animal that is peaceful and docile.  Yet it is extremely difficult to capture a unicorn – many have tried, few have succeeded.

The Lao government announced that a few days ago villagers in the central province of Bolikhamxay captured a saola and brought it back to their village.

When news of the saola’s capture reached Lao authorities, the Bolikhamxay Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office immediately sent a team, advised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to examine the saola and release it.

“The government of Lao PDR and WCS are to be commended for their rapid response and efforts to save this animal. We hope the information gained from the incident can be used to ensure that this is not the last saola anyone has a chance to see,” said William Robichaud, coordinator of the IUCN Saola Working Group.

This is the first confirmed record of the species since two photographs of wild saola were taken in Laos by automatic camera traps in 1999.

The Saola was first discovered in 1992, in Vietnam near the country’s border with Laos. With its long horns and white facial markings, the saola resembles the antelope of North Africa, but is more closely related to wild cattle. Saola are secretive and so seldom seen (no biologist has ever reported spotting one in the wild) that they have been likened to mythical unicorns. S

Some speculate that a Chinese myth of a magical unicorn, the qilin, may have been derived from familiarity with saola in prehistoric China, although the species does not occur there today, if it ever did.

It is not clear why the villagers took the saola into captivity. After its death, zoologists took the carcass to Pakxan, the provincial capital, where biologists from the WCS and the Lao government preserved all parts for analysis, future study and reference.  But when zoologist went to study the animal carcass last night, all the parts of the unicorn were missing.  Gone without a trace.

Villagers immediately suspected the Unicorn Killer.  As long has there have been myths about the unicorn, there have been similar myths about the Unicorn Killer, a unicorn hunter that is half-man and half-lion.  Many in Asia say the Unicorn Killer exists but many in American doubt the claims.  “We have no proof of any unicorns or unicorn killers,” said FBI agent Dennis Loudon.

who would kill such a beautiful animal?  And why?  And what happened to the body parts of the asian unicorn?  Did the unicorn really exist? Are the pictures real?

The Lao Government strongly denies any claims that anyone in Laos has fabricated the pictures of the captured unicorn.  “We had him in captivity.  The unicorn was real.”

The mystery surrounding the Asian unicorn is just beginning…  Is there a Unicorn Killer out there?

MARTINSVILLE, IL. – Bigfoot must be placed on Endangered Species List, and activists lay blame on Sarah Palin!

Wildlife photographer Brett Sullivan is attempting to protect the elusive beast from hardhearted humans – by persuading Congress to declare Bigfoot an endangered species.

“There are a lot of nuts out there who would shoot Bigfoot in a minute, just to show they could,” said the 66-year-old Martinsville nature lover and newspaperman.  “And Governor Palin has only encouraged them!”

This is in reference to the now infamous aerial shooting of a Bigfoot by Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin. The GOP celebrated it as just another example of her gumption, but both wildlife and mutant activists felt it was an irresponsible act.

Sullivan explained, “We now need to convince not only the government but all American citizens to give these creatures the same kind of protection we give other species on the verge of extinction.

“When Governor Palin is taking down Bigfoots left and right, wearing a designer baby bjorn and posing with the bodies for photo ops, it completely glorifies the horrific event. In my opinion, she is the leader in their ultimate demise and must be stopped!”

Officials in several Northwestern states have already enacted laws making it illegal to harm these gentle giants. But Sullivan says adopting legislation state by state is too slow, so he’s asking Congress to place Bigfoot on the nation’s Endangered Species List, alongside the spotted owl, the Florida panther and the Coho salmon.

“When you look into the eyes of one of these creatures and see how bright they are, and then look into Sarah Palin’s eyes, well… Frankly, there’s no competition,” he said. “I think I know which creature is more important for the future of this country, and it does not wear rimless glasses.”