Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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A monkey with striking orange lips and a black furry coat has been officially recognised as a new species in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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It was first spotted back in 2008, but at the time researchers only managed to capture a blurry photograph, leaving many questions unanswered.
Years later, after extensive fieldwork and research, scientists have finally confirmed it as a species new to science. They've named it “Colobus congoensis”, while local communities have long known it as “Likweli”.

Our BBC Science Correspondent Victoria Gill reveals what makes this monkey so special and how researchers finally solved the mystery of its identity.

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