New Monkey Species With Orange Lips Found in Congo

Deep in Congo's Lomami National Park, researchers have finally solved a mystery nearly two decades in the making: a "strange" monkey spotted in 2008 is actually a completely new species.

The Colobus congoensis, nicknamed Likweli by local communities who've known it for generations, has just become the fifth new African monkey species identified in 75 years. Scientists confirmed its unique identity through genetic analysis published this week in PLOS One.

What makes this small primate so distinctive? Adults weigh just 15 pounds and sport a striking orange cream patch around their mouths. They also have a tuft of fine white hair on their backsides and make calls that sound more like frogs or pigs than typical monkeys.

The discovery journey started when researchers captured the first known scientific photo of the monkey in 2008. Junior Amboko, a Ph.D. student at Florida Atlantic University and study co-author, remembers something seemed "strange" about its face in that blurry image.

Later photos revealed the monkey lacked thumbs, a telltale sign of the Colobus family. But scientists still couldn't determine if they'd found a new species or just a subspecies of an existing monkey.

In 2020, Amboko and his colleagues launched the Likweli Project to solve the puzzle once and for all. They gathered more photos, recorded calls, and analyzed tissue samples from monkeys confiscated from illegal hunters in the park.

The genetic data provided the breakthrough moment. "We were shocked with the genetic data because it gave us such a signal of deep divergence," says Kate Detwiler, the study's senior author and associate professor at Florida Atlantic University.

Why This Inspires

This discovery reminds us that our planet still holds incredible secrets waiting to be uncovered. Local Congolese communities recognized this unique monkey for years before scientists could confirm what they already knew: something special lived in their forests.

The research team is now pushing for the species to be listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They're working with local communities to protect Lomami National Park and reduce hunting pressure on the newly identified species.

Finding new species in 2026 proves that conservation efforts and scientific curiosity can work hand in hand to reveal Earth's hidden biodiversity while there's still time to protect it.