Scientists have confirmed the existence of a previously unknown monkey species in the Democratic Republic of Congo, distinguished by its striking pinkish-orange markings around its mouth and nose set against a glossy black coat. Named Colobus congoensis by researchers and known locally as the Likweli, the primate was formally described in the journal PLOS One following years of fieldwork combining audio recordings, photography, and detailed genetic analysis.

The story of the discovery stretches back to 2008, when conservationists working in Lomami National Park — a protected area in the central-east of the vast, forested country — photographed an unusual-looking animal high in the rainforest canopy. The single blurry image was not enough to draw firm conclusions. It was only after a second sighting a decade later that an international research team launched a systematic investigation. Between 2018 and 2022, researchers recorded just over one hundred observations, most concentrated in a narrow area along the Lomami River. The name Likweli was passed on to scientists by members of the local Balanga community, though surveys of dozens of villages revealed the animal was barely known even to many who lived near it. Some hunters had glimpsed it, but had no distinct name for it.

The Likweli belongs to the colobus monkey family and is most closely related to the black colobus (Colobus satanas), from which it diverged millions of years ago — despite the two species now being separated by more than 1,200 kilometres of rainforest. The Likweli is smaller than its relatives, has a differently shaped skull and distinct vocalisations, and likely has a different diet, with researchers suspecting it relies less on seeds than other colobus species. Its elusive habits — living high in the canopy of old-growth forest and calling mainly around sunrise — help explain why it remained unknown to science for so long.