New monkey species discovered in Congo rainforest

Kinshasa: A new species of monkey has been discovered in Lomami National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The black monkey with distinctive orange face patches is only the fifth new primate species identified in Africa in the last 75 years.

Conservationists first reported sightings in 2008, but new genetic, photo and sound evidence has now confirmed it is new to science.

The species has been named ‘Colobus congoensis’ — believed to be the first primate named after the Democratic Republic of Congo.