New monkey species with orange lips found ‘hiding’ in DRC forest

A monkey that has pinkish-orange lips and a black face – and lives in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – has been confirmed as a new species to science.

The black-furred primate was spotted and photographed hidden away in the high tree canopy of tropical forests in Lomami National Park, in the central east of the country.

Conservationists first reported seeing this animal back in 2008, capturing one blurry photograph.

After another sighting 10 years later, an international team set out to find and study the monkey, revealing that it was a previously unknown species.