New monkey species, orange-lipped Likweli monkey, known as 'branch shaker,' identified in DRC

An international team of scientists has officially identified a new monkey species in the Democratic Republic of Congo, naming it Colobus congoenisis. Locals have long known the primate as 'Likweli' or 'branch shaker,' but its distinctiveness from other monkeys was only confirmed in a paper published July 15 in the journal PLOS One. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University and Yale were among those involved in the identification.

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draped in glossy black fur with cape-like shoulders, a long sweeping tail and a vivid orange-cream patch around the mouth and nose.

The monkey, found in Lomami National Park, is described as having glossy black fur, cape-like shoulders, a long tail, and a striking orange-cream patch around its mouth and nose. Its unique appearance sets it apart from any known colobus monkey. While first photographed by conservationists in 2008, the image was insufficient for formal classification. The species was not seen again until 2018, when field researcher Jean Pierre Kapale managed to capture another photograph, leading to more extensive observation.

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the Congo Basin’s remarkable natural heritage and, we believe, marking the first primate named after the Democratic Republic of Congo itself - underscoring both its global importance and local pride.

Between 2018 and 2022, researchers conducted dedicated surveillance, recording 114 field observations. They also examined skin, skeleton, and tissue samples from three monkeys confiscated from hunters. Co-author Junior Amboko chose the species name to honor the Congo Basin's natural heritage, marking the first primate named after the Democratic Republic of Congo itself. The monkey exhibits a "quiet and watchful nature," according to co-authors Kate Detwiler and Junior Amboko, often observing researchers from the canopy instead of fleeing.

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quiet and watchful nature.