New monkey species discovered in the Congo – researchers warn of imminent extinction

The first encounter with the new species dates back many years. As early as 2008, staff of the Lukuru Wildlife Research Station came across the unusual primate in a remote region of the rainforest. A photograph taken at the time proved insufficiently conclusive to scientifically establish a separate species. It was only in the following years that the researchers collected enough data to publish the find.

First find in 2008

Between 2018 and 2022, the scientific team recorded a total of 114 sightings within an estimated range of just 1,700 square kilometers. Such a small range is, according to the researchers, unusual for colobus monkeys and a clear warning sign.

Kate Detwiler, professor of biological sciences at Florida Atlantic University and one of the study's authors, assessed the find as ambivalent. "Die Entdeckung von Colobus congoensis ist sowohl ein wissenschaftlicher Triumph als auch eine ernüchternde Erinnerung daran, dass einige der seltensten Lebewesen der Erde verschwinden könnten, bevor die Welt überhaupt von ihrer Existenz weiß", sagte sie.

Strikingly small range

Co-author John Hart of the Lukuru Wildlife Research Station stressed the value of such finds for species conservation. "Selbst in Regionen, die bereits wissenschaftlich erforscht wurden, werden immer noch völlig neue Arten entdeckt", ergänzte er. Hart also emphasized that the central Congo Basin remains a key region for understanding primate evolution and primate conservation.

According to the researchers' descriptions, the animals are characterized by an unusually deep voice with which they communicate. They are also smaller than known related species of the black colobus. Their habitat is limited to a tiny area in the central Congo Basin, which makes the population particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.

An international team of scientists was involved in the study, including researchers from Florida Atlantic University, the Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation, Yale University, the City University of New York, as well as from Lomami National Park and the Zoological Society of Frankfurt. The collaboration of multiple institutions underscores the scientific significance of the find.

Call for Red List status

The researchers are calling for the "Likweli" to be placed immediately on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as "critically endangered". Such a status would be the prerequisite for international conservation programs and funding to be deployed specifically for the preservation of the species.

Particularly alarming is the combination of an extremely limited range and a small number of confirmed sightings. If the habitat shrinks further due to deforestation, mining or other human interventions, the species faces a rapid population decline.

According to the study's authors, the discovery also changes the picture of primate diversity in central Africa. The find shows that the region still harbors significant biological secrets and that further, as yet unknown species may exist.

International research team

For the international conservation community, the case is a wake-up call. It points out that even newly discovered species can be threatened with extinction at the time of their description – a scenario that requires swift action.

The authors of the study announced that they would conduct further field research in the range of the "Likweli" in the coming years. The aim is to determine the population size more precisely and to coordinate possible conservation measures with local authorities and conservation organizations.

The Zoological Society of Frankfurt pointed out that Lomami National Park already plays an important role today in preserving regional biodiversity. The new find underscores the importance of such protected areas.

Significance for species conservation

Overall, the researchers involved see the discovery as evidence that basic research in hard-to-reach regions of Africa urgently needs to be continued. Only in this way can threatened species be identified before they disappear irretrievably.

The find joins a series of similar discoveries in recent years in which primate species in Africa were only scientifically described late. Experts regard this as an indication that our knowledge of global biodiversity is still incomplete.

The study was published on 15 July 2026 in "PLOS One" and thus symbolically marks a turning point in the study of the Congolese rainforests – between scientific optimism and pressing concern for the preservation of the discovered species.