New Orange-Lipped Monkey Found In Congo

Researchers have identified a new species of monkey unlike any other known to science. Called Likweli by the locals, it lives in the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is only the fifth new African monkey species discovered in the past 75 years.

The striking black monkey sports a crest of spiky hair. It has a bright orange-cream patch around its mouth and nose, gray skin on its cheekbones, and a white patch of fur around the base of its tail. Adults weigh about 15 pounds (6.8 kg) — roughly the size of a small dog. The monkeys live high in the forest canopy in small groups averaging about 6 individuals. They usually watch human visitors silently from the trees. However, their loud, roar-like calls are hard to miss.

An explorer first captured the Likweli on camera in 2008. But the photograph was too blurry to clearly identify the animal. The monkey then disappeared from view until 2018. That is when local field researcher Jean-Pierre Kapale spotted it during a routine inspection in Lomami National Park in central Congo. His photographs prompted scientists to search for more evidence of the unusual primate.

Over the next several years, an international team of scientists led by John Hart of the Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation recorded 114 observations of the elusive animal. It was clear the monkey was unique. But the team needed physical evidence to formally confirm it as a new species. They got their chance in April 2021, when park guards seized three Likweli carcasses. The monkeys had been killed for their meat. This allowed the scientists to examine the primate closely and collect DNA samples.

The monkey’s physical features, DNA, and unusual calls all confirmed that the Likweli was indeed a new species. The scientists named it Colobus congoensis, meaning “from Congo.” Genetic testing revealed that its closest known relative is the black colobus monkey, which lives more than 700 miles (1,100 km) away in west-central Africa. The scientists believe the two species most likely split from a common ancestor about 4 to 5 million years ago.

The researchers published their findings in the journal PLOS One on July 15, 2026. They are now concerned about the Likweli’s future. The monkey is known to live across an area of only about 656 square miles (1,700 sq. km), most of which lies within Lomami National Park. It also faces threats from hunting and habitat loss. Hart and his team have proposed that the Likweli be classified as Endangered. They hope this status will help protect the monkey and its forest home for generations to come.

Resources: Smithsonianmag.co, Livescience.com, CNN.com, Phys.org