In 1836, a pangolin from Nepal entered a London museum collection. 190 years later, scientists sequenced its preserved DNA and confirmed Manis aurita as a distinct species, giving conservationists a new tool against poaching

In 1836, a pangolin collected in Nepal became part of a museum collection in London. Nearly two centuries later, scientists returned to that preserved specimen for answers. By sequencing its historic DNA, researchers confirmed that Manis aurita is a distinct pangolin species. The finding could give conservationists a new way to identify which pangolins are being targeted by poachers and where those animals come from.

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