Scientists discover new monkey species

A NEW species of monkey has been discovered in the mountain forests of Tanzania, the first new species of monkey to be identified in 20 years.

The discovery of the highland mangabey is all the more remarkable because it was made by two independent research teams working hundreds of miles apart, the online journal Science reveals.

However, the monkey's future is already in doubt. It is believed less than 1,000 exist and it is expected to be classified as a critically endangered species.

The highland mangabey, or Lophocebus kipunji, is a medium-sized, long-tailed tree dweller. Its fur is primarily brown with some white on the belly and tail, and it has a black face, hands and feet.

Dr Trevor Jones, a conservation biologist who works for the Udzungwa Mountains National Park in Mang'ula, Tanzania, made the discovery while out searching for a related species called the Sanje mangabey in the Ndundulu Forest Reserve.

When he peered through his binoculars, instead of seeing the grey fur and pink face of his target species, he instead caught a glimpse of black-faced monkey sporting an upright crest on its forehead that made the animal look "punky".

About the same time, 217 miles away in Tanzania's southern highlands, researchers led by zoologist Dr Tim Davenport, of the Wildlife Conservation Society, had been trying to track down an animal called the Kipunji. Almost one year after his team started looking, he too spotted the mangabey. The two groups heard about each other's findings in October and wrote the report for Science together.

The discovery of the species underscores the importance of the wooded highlands of Tanzania, the authors write, as the area is one of the most globally significant regions for biodiversity with many threatened plant and animal species living there going back 30 or 40 million years in history.

Dr Jones said he was "absolutely speechless" and "shaking" when he saw the monkey.

Dr John Fleagle, one of the world's leading primatologists at Stony Brook University in New York, said: "The chances of finding a large, noisy monkey that no-one has ever [scientifically] described before makes this a rare event indeed."

Although the researchers still need a DNA sample to determine how closely related the new species is to other mangabeys, the new species looks and sounds quite different from its cousins.

Dr Jones said: "It utters a softer 'honk bark' compared to the louder 'whoop' of other tree-dwelling mangabeys. It is also shy, and exhibits some unusual behaviour.

"Just before he flees, the male does this fantastic head-shaking behaviour as if he's admonishing you."