Animals

New Monkey Species Discovered in Congo Rainforest

Good News Post

Jul 22, 2026 — 2 min read

Colobus congoensis, known locally as “likweli,” has a dramatic black face with pinkish-orange lips. Photo credit: Daniel Rosengren, Frankfurt Zoological Society.

By Animals Correspondent

Scientists have identified a previously unknown species of African monkey in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, making it one of the rarest primate discoveries in decades.

The monkey, named Colobus congoensis and known locally as Likweli, is mainly black with distinctive orange patches around its face.

Researchers say it is only the fifth new monkey species to be identified in Africa in the past 75 years.

The animal lives in a remote part of the Congo Basin between the Lomami and Congo (Lualaba) rivers and had gone undocumented despite years of scientific research in the region.

The discovery began in 2008 when researchers captured a partial photograph of the monkey. A clearer image was taken around a decade later, prompting further investigation.

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Genetic, anatomical and acoustic studies have now confirmed it is a separate species that split from its closest known relative between four and five million years ago. The findings have been published in the journal PLOS One.

Researchers believe the monkey could already be under threat because of its small range, habitat loss and hunting.

Junior Amboko, a PhD student at Florida Atlantic University and co-author of the study, said naming the species after the Democratic Republic of Congo recognised the country's rich wildlife and its importance to global conservation.

*Colobus congoensis, known locally as “likweli,” has a dramatic black face with pinkish-orange lips. Photo credit: Daniel Rosengren, Frankfurt Zoological Society*

The international research team included scientists from Florida Atlantic University, Yale University, the Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation, the City University of New York, Lomami National Park and the Frankfurt Zoological Society.

John Hart, of the Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation, said the discovery showed there was still much to learn about the Congo Basin.

"Even in regions that have been scientifically explored, entirely new species are still coming to light," he said.

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