New monkey discovered

Source: CNN


Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) -- Scientists are claiming they have discovered a new species of monkey living in the remote forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo -- an animal well-known to local hunters but until now, unknown to the outside world.

In a paper published Wednesday in the open-access journal Plos One, the scientists describe the new species that they call Cercopithecus Lomamiensis, known locally as the Lesula, whose home is deep in central DR Congo's Lomami forest basin. The scientists say it is only the second discovery of a monkey species in 28 years.

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The team came across a strange looking monkey tethered to a post. It was the pet of Georgette, the daughter of the local school director.

She adopted the young monkey when its mother was killed by a hunter in the forest. Her father said it was a Lesula, well-known to hunters in that part of the forest. The field team took pictures and showed them to Hart.

"Right away I saw that this was something different. It looked a bit like a monkey from much further east, but the coloring was so different and the range was so different," said Hart.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/12/world/africa/dr-congo-new-monkey/index.html?hpt=hp_c3