Pangolin's ancient struggle with drought echoes in Himalayan festival's plea for rain

The annual Rato Machindranath Jatra in Patan, a centuries-old festival drawing tens of thousands, features a towering chariot pulled by devotees chanting for rain. For scientists studying the Himalayan pangolin, this spectacle of faith became a poignant symbol mirroring their findings about the species' dramatic decline.

The Himalayan pangolin (Manis aurita), a creature of the night that curls into a protective ball when threatened, is rarely seen. Its diet consists solely of ants and termites, identified by smell with a tongue longer than its head. Despite living in the Kathmandu Valley's surrounding forests for over a million years, most locals have never encountered one. A significant international study in 2026, involving scientists from Nepal, China, the USA, the UK, and Spain, reclassified the animal as a distinct species, separating it from the Chinese pangolin.

Further genetic analysis, using a technique called GONE (Genetic Optimisation for Ne estimation), revealed the pangolin's population history. The data indicated a severe population crash in the Kathmandu Valley approximately 1,330 to 1,365 years ago (660–695 AD), with the population hitting its lowest point around 700 years ago. This led to isolated survivors and increased inbreeding, leaving the species in a precarious state.

Scientists believe that prolonged drought conditions, which caused termite colonies to dry out and collapse, were a primary driver of this ancient population crash. Termites, reliant on moisture, would retreat underground or vanish from large forest areas during such periods. Today, the Himalayan pangolin faces renewed threats from poaching, compounding the challenges posed by its specific ecological needs and historical vulnerabilities.