It is a monkey with striking pinkish-orange lips. He lives in the jungle of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was confirmed to be a new species: the orange-lipped monkey species. The black-furred primate was photographed hiding in the high treetops of the dense rainforest in Lomami National Park. It is the central-eastern region of the country.
Conservationists working in the region reported seeing the curious animal for the first time in 2008. But they only managed to take a blurry photo. After another sighting 10 years later, an international team undertook the search and study of the monkey. It was a previously unknown species. This is only the fifth species of African monkey discovered in the last 75 years.
Shy
Junior Amboko is a doctoral student at Florida Atlantic University. He played a major role in the research, which involved audio recordings, photography and detailed genetic studies. The results were published in the specialized journal PLoS One. Discovering a species, in this context, means registering it and officially confirming that it evolved to be genetically distinct. Some locals already knew of the monkey's existence and referred to it by its common name: Likweli.
The monkeys were "somewhat shy" and tended to hide high in the trees. The research team cataloged the animal with the Latin name Colobus congoensis in recognition of the country's natural diversity. It belongs to the largest group of colobus monkeys. "These are very important African monkeys that do not have thumbs," they explain. «They are herbivores of the tree canopy and play a critical role in the ecosystem. "We believe they have a lot to do with seed processing and germination in the jungle."
The orange-lipped monkey species would have these rare and striking facial markings as a visual cue to other animals. Maybe vex is potentially attractive to a partner. They could make it easier for animals to identify each other. The monkeys also make a characteristic howl. "You often hear them, but you don't see them," Amboko said.
rare
Researchers believe the animals are rare. They are only found in a part of the jungle where they can find the necessary food and habitats. Animals are hunted for their meat. Now that the Colobus congoensis has been classified as a distinct species, researchers hope it can be officially protected. They say there are still many questions about this newly described stealthy species. Their plan is to continue with more detailed exploration to estimate their population and study their behavior.
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