In 2017, the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute took on an interesting project. They went to a likely habitat in Scotland and set up game cameras. Their purpose was to locate, trap, and then radio collar 10 unicorns over the next 10 years. (https:// nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/equus-unicornu-science- first) You read that correctly. The unicorn (Equus unicornu), is native to Scotland, where it is the National Animal. As a reference, the National Animal of the United States is the American bison, also called the buffalo.

People today don’t think much about unicorns, but they are mentioned multiple times in the King James Version of the Bible: Numbers 23:22, Job 39:9, and three times in Psalms. The unicorn is also featured on the Crest of the United Kingdom, Canada, and of course Scotland.

Unicorns are rarely seen for three reasons.

First, they are rare; secondly, they live in thick forests and they are very shy. In addition, they are believed to be telepathic and thus they “hear” your thoughts so you can’t sneak up on them. However, you can find signs that unicorns are in the area.

Unicorns feed on a grass called silver flower (Sparklebombis twinkleosa). Thus, when unicorns poop, because of the silver in the grass, their poop appears to glitter. If you find glittering unicorn poop you know they are around.

Unicorns live very long lives; no one knows exactly how long, but longer than a human lifetime. They are also very robust and vigorous right up to the time they die. After death their fur deteriorates very quickly. While alive, the hair of the unicorn has a greater tensile strength than spider silk. Biologists believe that the fur contains proteins that must constantly be maintained and when the animal dies those proteins break down almost instantly. There has never been a pelt of a unicorn preserved.

Most people know what a unicorn looks like. They are horse-like with large heads, long ears, pink (female) or blue (male) eyes, and of course, a single horn that sticks out of their forehead. They will grow to about six feet at the shoulder and nine feet in length.

They have long fur, long flowing manes, forelocks and tails. This fur is conditioned by special sebaceous glands that produce unicorn oil. This oil refracts light causing iridescence, so the bright white coat of the unicorn will glitter with all the different colors of the rainbow. It is no wonder people who were lucky enough to see a unicorn believed them to be magical.

The horn of the unicorn is undoubtedly the most obvious thing about the animal. It will grow up to 13” in length at maturity and both the male and female have them. Biologists are not sure what the purpose of the horn is. Some speculate that it is a sensory organ similar to the tusk of a narwhal.

The purpose of the Smithsonian’s camera and radio tracking study was to document threats to the unicorn, possibly the rarest mammal on earth. The Smithsonian’s report states that the most immediate and pervasive threat to unicorns is human skepticism and that in order for this animal to survive, they require an active human imagination!