Researchers confirm the presence of a Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) in eastern Nepal in a small community forest regarded as sacred by local residents, according to recent reporting and a study described by Mongabay and Phys.org. The pangolin is noted as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Both sources say the finding represents the first documentation for Nepal’s Sunsari District, where the animal has been spotted. Mongabay adds that the evidence may include what researchers describe as the first video record of the pangolin in the district, based on materials collected during the study. Phys.org also reports that the discovery increases the number of Nepalese districts where the species has been documented to 28. Together, the reports frame the sighting as an important addition to the country’s recorded range of the critically endangered pangolin, while emphasizing the role of the sacred community forest and local protection practices in enabling wildlife persistence. The sources do not report additional details on the animal’s health, population size, or broader distribution beyond the district-level documentation.