Kathmandu, March 23 -- Accompanied by the ethereal vocals of Marta del Grandi, Cecilia Valagussa's animal projections play across the Patan Museum wall, darting left and right. A pangolin is captured in a net by a man and then carted off on the back of a truck. Cecilia manipulates her animals deftly, shifting paper cutouts expertly on the projection table. All the while, Marta sings, her voice following the travails of the poor little pangolin.

The pangolin, or salak, is an endangered species that is especially prone to poaching and smuggling as its hide, skin and meat are prized, especially in China. Not many in Nepal know about this scaly little mammal, even though it is found in 43 of Nepal's districts. Marta Del Grandi and Cecilia Va...