Nature & Environment

By T.K. Randall
July 19, 2026

Image: Amazon Rainforest in Tena, Ecuador (illustrative)
Credit: Jay / CC BY 2.0 (adapted)

The primate is only the fifth new species of monkey to be discovered in Africa within the last 75 years.

Found in Lomami National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the new species was originally spotted by conservationists back in 2008 but at the time, all they could get was a blurry photograph.

It wasn't until more than a decade later that concerted efforts were made to track down the animal.

The new monkey is unusual as it has striking pinkish-orange lips and has somehow managed to remain undetected, despite the amount of conservation work and study occurring in the region.

Researchers discovered that the species - known locally as Likweli - was already known to the people who lived in the area but was also thought to be notoriously shy of humans.

It has since been given the scientific name Colobus congoensis.

"These are really important African monkeys that don't have thumbs," said Florida Atlantic University's Prof Kate Detwiler. "They're these herbivores of the canopy that are a critical part of the ecosystem."

"We think they have a lot to do with processing seeds and germination in the forest."

You can check out some footage of the new monkey below.

Source: BBC News

Tags: Monkey