New Monkey Species Identified After 18 Years in Congo Rainforest

Official Recognition of a New Species After Field Study and Genetic Analysis

Researchers: "Limited Habitat and Small Population... Urgent Protection Needed"

A new species of monkey previously unreported to the scientific community has been discovered in the deep tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This is the fifth new monkey species identified in Africa over the past 75 years.

Recently, major media outlets such as the New York Times (NYT) and the Washington Post (WP) reported that an international research team composed of the Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation in Congo and Florida Atlantic University in the United States published these findings in the international scientific journal PLOS ONE.

The newly discovered monkey is a new species within the colobus monkey genus, and has been given the scientific name "Colobus congoensis." Locally known as "Likweli," this monkey is found only in the area of Lomami National Park in Congo.

The most distinctive feature of the Likweli is its black fur and the striking orange markings around its mouth and nose. Its gray cheekbones, the black skin around its eyes, and the white fur near its anus are also notable characteristics that set it apart from other colobus monkeys. Weighing about 7 kg, it is considered relatively small in size.

A new species of monkey previously unreported to the scientific community has been discovered in the tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Lomami National Park

The research team first spotted this monkey in 2008. At that time, they obtained a blurry photograph during an expedition, but there was not enough evidence to clearly identify the species. Later, in 2018, another specimen was found, which allowed the researchers to launch a more intensive investigation.

The team explored thousands of kilometers of rainforest and interviewed residents from 52 nearby villages. However, only eight villages reported any knowledge of the monkey. The researchers explained that Likweli is difficult to spot, as it spends most of its time in the canopy, the highest layer of the forest.

Through years of field observations, acoustic analysis, and genetic studies up to 2022, the researchers concluded that Likweli is in fact a distinct new species. Although its habitat and appearance are similar to the Angola colobus, genetic analysis showed that its closest relative is the black colobus (Colobus satanas) of West Africa, which lives more than 1,200 kilometers away. Researchers estimate the two species began to take separate evolutionary paths about 3.4 to 5.8 million years ago.

Lomami National Park was also the site where a new monkey species, "Lesula," was discovered in 2012. The discovery of Likweli marks the second new primate species identified in this region in the past 15 years.

The confirmed habitat range of Likweli is only about 1,700 square kilometers, and the population is believed to be small. As habitat destruction and poaching continue, the research team suggested that Likweli should be included on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as an endangered species.

The lead researcher commented, "It is astonishing that undiscovered primates still exist in the 21st century. This discovery underscores that the Congo rainforest is one of the world's most important reservoirs of biodiversity, and it highlights the pressing need for its conservation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.