An international team of scientists discovered a new species of colobus monkey with bright orange lips in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The discovery highlights the vast, undocumented biodiversity of the Congo rainforest and underscores the importance of protected areas like Lomami National Park in preserving rare primates.

The new species is named *Colobus congoensis* [1]. It is distinguished by its pale facial markings and prominent orange lips [1], [2]. The primates were found within the Lomami-Congo river region, specifically inside Lomami National Park [3], [4].

Local conservationists first spotted the animals in 2008 [1]. However, the scientific process to verify the species took years of coordination. A formal scientific expedition was launched in 2018 to study the population [1]. Following this fieldwork, the species was formally announced in 2024 [1].

The research team consisted of Congolese primatologists and foreign researchers [5]. They identified the monkeys while conducting biodiversity surveys in the rainforest [2]. By analyzing the unique physical characteristics of the primates, the team determined they represented a previously undocumented species [2].

The discovery occurred in one of the most remote regions of the DRC. The dense canopy of the rainforest often hides species from global view, a factor that contributed to the long gap between the first sighting and the formal announcement. The team used these surveys to map the distribution of the monkeys within the national park boundaries [3].

“The new species is named Colobus congoensis.”

The identification of *Colobus congoensis* demonstrates that significant mammalian species can remain hidden even in the 21st century. This find reinforces the ecological value of the Lomami National Park as a sanctuary for endemic wildlife and suggests that further biodiversity surveys in the Congo Basin may reveal additional undocumented species.