Scientists find new monkey species in Congo’s rainforest | WTVB | 1590 AM · 95.5 FM

July 16 (Reuters) – Scientists have identified a new species of monkey in Democratic Republic of Congo’s ​rainforest, distinguished by patches of ‌light-colored skin around its mouth, Florida Atlantic University said in a statement.

• The discovery marks only the fifth new ‌monkey ​species identified in Africa ⁠in the last ⁠75 years, according to the statement issued on Wednesday.

• The species known by locals as “Likweli” was named ​Colobus congoensis by scientists.

• Small in size, the black monkey ⁠has a distinctive “mask-like appearance” ⁠with a vivid orange-cream ​patch surrounding its mouth and nose.

• The ​newly identified primate’s roaring possesses a ‌distinct acoustic structure, the research showed.

• “This discovery reinforces how much biodiversity remains undocumented in the Central ⁠Congo Basin,” said John Hart, a conservation scientist from the Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation.

• ⁠Researchers ‌warn the monkey may already ⁠be at risk due ​to ‌its small range area and ​population size ⁠and propose the International Union for Conservation of Nature should classify it as endangered.

(Reporting by Catherine Schenck; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by ​Andrew Heavens)