Recently, a "mythical" animal was sighted by an infrared camera in the Nanling National Nature Reserve in Guangdong. At first glance, it looks like a dark goat rambling across the rolling hills. But when looking closer, you will find it has horns like a deer, a head like a goat, a tail like a donkey and hooves like an ox.
After identification by experts, it was confirmed as the mainland serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), a second-class protected animal in China.
The mainland serow is a strange creature usually found in harsh mountains in the south and northwest of China. It is -known for its weird appearance, and gets the name "Kirin Beast" or "Four Unlikeness".
More so, a flurry of myths and tales are ascribed to this animal. Some say they can hang onto trees, dangling only by their horns. Others say that their paired short, stout but curved horns help them climb mountains.
A research team from the Nanling National Nature Reserve is currently finding out whether other mainland serows are haunting the Nanling, but nothing has been found yet, according to the reserve.
Author: Ariel
Editor: Wing, Steven, Monica, James
