Post by Frankfurt Zoological Society / Zoologische Gesellschaft Frankfurt

Meet the Likweli - a monkey species previously unknown to science. 🐒 The first clue came in 2008, when researchers photographed an unfamiliar monkey high in the forest canopy of what is now Lomami National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ten years later, another sighting prompted a closer investigation. Researchers have now confirmed that the animal is a new species: Colobus congoensis, known locally as the Likweli. Its glossy black fur, orange-cream markings around the mouth and nose, and white perianal patch set it apart from every other known colobus monkey. The Likweli is only the fifth new monkey species identified in Africa in the past 75 years. It has so far been recorded in an area of just 1,700 square kilometres, and researchers recommend classifying it as Endangered because of its limited range, habitat loss and hunting pressure. The discovery is a reminder of how much remains to be learned about Lomami National Park and the wider Congo Basin. The park is also an important refuge for bonobos, forest elephants and many other threatened species. Together with the Congolese nature conservation authority ICCN and local communities, FZS is working to protect this unique landscape for the long term. 📷 Daniel Rosengren Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dmfNDYPM #Likweli #NewSpecies #LomamiNationalPark #DRC #Biodiversity #Conservation #FZS