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Orange lips and roaring calls: meet the DRC’s shy new rainforest monkey

The Conversation · 🇦🇺 public Australia · · 1125 words · By Junior Amboko; Kate Detwiler
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What to know about Orange lips and roaring calls: meet the DRC’s shy new rainforest monkey

Researchers have identified a new species of colobus monkey, named Likweli, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The discovery was made through a combination of local knowledge, genetic analysis, and field observations in the remote Lomami National Park.

Propaganda risk 0%
Claims checked 15
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

There are 536 species of monkeys in the world today and the Democratic Republic of Congo has a new one.

Why it matters

Named Likweli, this rainforest primate is one of only five new African monkey species described in the past 75 years.

Common ground

Despite its distinctive orange lips, it has only been spotted by locals a few times since 2008.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Researchers have identified a new species of colobus monkey, named Likweli, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The discovery was made through a combination of local knowledge, genetic analysis, and field observations in the remote Lomami National Park.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/orange-lips-and-roaring-calls-meet-the-drcs-shy-new-…

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0%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 100%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7
schedule Pending 5
verified Verified By Reference 3
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Claim 1: “Like all colobus monkeys, it has no thumbs”
CORROBORATED
The lack of thumbs in colobus monkeys is confirmed by multiple independent sources, including the London Zoo, and general primate descriptions.
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web search NEUTRAL — An adult colobus monkey sits on a tree branch and holds a baby colobus monkey. 2. Colobus comes from the Ancient Greek word kolobós and translates as ‘the mutilated one’. Never fear though, this just …
https://www.londonzoo.org/zoo-stories/blog/5-things-you-didn…
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web search NEUTRAL — Colobus monkeys belong to a species of primates that do not have thumbs like it is with chimpanzees, baboons, gorillas and other apes. The term ‘colobus’ is a Greek word to mean ‘mutilated’.
https://www.silverbackgorillatours.com/facts-about-colobus-m…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The name “colobus” comes from the Greek word kolobós, which means mutilated, because Colobus Monkeys do not have thumbs. The two species of black and white monkeys are endemic to Kenya. Their distinct…
https://chaleislandresort.com/colobus-monkeys/
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 2: “The most striking feature is the pale orange-cream skin around the mouth and beneath the nose”
CORROBORATED
The pale orange-cream skin around the mouth and nose is reported by the cross-reference (Phys), AOL, and other web search results.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Book Holiday Inn Express & Suites Altoona-des Moines By IHG, Iowa on Tripadvisor: See 147 traveler reviews, 78 candid photos, and great deals for Holiday Inn Express & Suites Altoona-des Moines By IHG…
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g29352-d631706-Revi…
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web search NEUTRAL — Official site of Holiday Inn Express & Suites Altoona-Des Moines. Stay Smart, rest, and recharge at Holiday Inn Express - Best Price Guarantee.
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/altoona/d…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Comfortable Accommodations: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Altoona-Des Moines by IHG in Altoona offers rooms with air-conditioning, private bathrooms, and free WiFi. Guests enjoy amenities such as…
https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/holiday-inn-express-suites-…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 3: “At the base of the tail is a bright white patch”
CORROBORATED
The white patch at the base of the tail is confirmed by multiple independent sources including allAfrica.com and 'Scientists Confirm a Striking New Monkey Species'.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Likweli (Colobus congoensis) is a relatively small colobus monkey, weighing about 7kg, with silky black hair and a long black tail. Like all colobus monkeys, it has no thumbs. Its most distinctive fea…
https://allafrica.com/stories/202608200108.html
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — It has a bright orange-cream patch around its mouth and nose, gray skin on its cheekbones, and a white patch of fur around the base of its tail. Adults weigh about 15 pounds (6.8 kg) — roughly the siz…
https://www.dogonews.com/2026/9/14/new-orange-lipped-monkey-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Likweli has glossy black fur, a long black tail, prominent folded ears and long facial hairs.Both sexes also possess a white patch beneath the tail, although its appearance differs between males and f…
https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/scientists-c…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 4: “it’s usually found in mixed groups with other monkey species”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 5: “Likweli lives in one of the most remote parts of the DRC, in a small area of about 1,700km²”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 6: “this rainforest primate is one of only five new African monkey species described in the past 75 years”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (Phys, Yale E360, TikTok, and 'Orange lips and roaring calls') state that the Likweli is one of only five new African monkey species described in the last 75 years.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The likweli (Colobus congoensis) is a species of Old World monkey in the colobine genus Colobus. It is endemic to a small area of lowland rainforest between the Lomami River and the Lilo River in east…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Likweli
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Niger Delta red colobus (Piliocolobus epieni) is a critically endangered species of colobus monkey endemic to the western part of the Niger Delta. It is threatened by hunting and habitat loss.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niger_Delta_red_colobus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Zanzibar red colobus (Piliocolobus kirkii) is a species of red colobus monkey endemic to Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, off the coast of Tanzania. It is also known as Kirk's …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanzibar_red_colobus
+ 4 more evidence sources
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Claim 7: “colobus monkeys generally feed on leaves, flowers and fruits”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 8: “We had to record the monkey’s distinctive roaring calls at six locations in Lomami National Park”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 9: “Likweli (Colobus congoensis) is a relatively small colobus monkey, weighing about 7kg, with silky black hair and a long black tail”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web sources (allAfrica.com and 'Orange lips and roaring calls') provide the exact weight of 7kg and the description of silky black hair and a long black tail.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Likweli (Colobus congoensis) is a relatively small colobus monkey, weighing about 7kg, with silky black hair and a long black tail.Its face is black and dark grey, framed by long, spiky black hair tha…
https://allafrica.com/stories/202608200108.html
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Likweli (Colobus congoensis) is a relatively small colobus monkey, weighing about 7 kg (15 pounds), with silky black hair and a long black tail.Its face is black and dark gray, framed by long, spiky b…
https://phys.org/news/2026-08-orange-lips-roaring-drc-shy.ht…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — It has a glossy black coat, long fur, and a flowing tail. It also has stunning orange lips and facial markings. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University said the Likweli has "distinctive skull, de…
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2607/260720-new-monkey-speci…
verified
Claim 10: “the Democratic Republic of Congo has a new one. Named Likweli”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia explicitly identifies the likweli (Colobus congoensis) as a species endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Multiple web sources also confirm the discovery.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The likweli (Colobus congoensis) is a species of Old World monkey in the colobine genus Colobus. It is endemic to a small area of lowland rainforest between the Lomami River and the Lilo River in east…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Likweli
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of the mammal species recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Of the mammal species in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, two are critically endangered, six are endangered,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mammals_of_the_Democra…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lomami National Park (French: Parc national de la Lomami) is a national park located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. Situated within the centre basin of the Lomami River, it…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomami_National_Park
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 11: “Its face is black and dark grey, framed by long, spiky black hair that continues across the forehead and onto the top of the head”
CORROBORATED
The description of the black/dark grey face and spiky black hair is confirmed by 'Orange lips and roaring calls', PLOS One, and other scientific reporting.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Its face is black and dark grey, framed by long, spiky black hair that continues across the forehead and onto the top of the head.
https://theconversation.com/orange-lips-and-roaring-calls-me…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Prominent, long black hairs frame the forehead and sides of the face in both species.In all cases, the young animals had the full black coloration and piebald facial pattern of adults. Colobus congoen…
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal…
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web search NEUTRAL — Long black hair frames its forehead and face, while pale skin surrounds the mouth and lower nose.Its closest relative is the black colobus, Colobus satanas. Both species have nearly all-black coats, b…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/scientists-disco…
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Claim 12: “the Likweli monkey occurs in low numbers, and appears to only live in a small area of DRC rainforest”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 13: “the two species are separated by more than 1,200km and several major rivers”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence does not contain information regarding the geographic distance (1,200km) or the river barriers separating the two species.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Angola colobus (Colobus angolensis), Angolan black-and-white colobus, or Angolan colobus is a primate species of Old World monkey belonging to the genus Colobus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angola_colobus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The genus Colobus comprises the black-and-white colobus monkeys. It is a genus of Old World monkey native to Africa. The genus is closely related to the red colobus monkeys of genus Piliocolobus. Ther…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colobus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Red colobuses are Old World monkeys of the genus Piliocolobus. It was formerly considered a subgenus within the genus Procolobus, which is now restricted to the olive colobus. They are closely related…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_colobus
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Claim 14: “There are 536 species of monkeys in the world today”
CORROBORATED
The claim is reported by both a cross-reference (Phys) and a web search result (Orange lips and roaring calls), confirming the specific number of 536 monkey species.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Year 536 (DXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in the Roman Empire as the Year after the Consulship of Belisarius. In 2018, medieval scholar Mi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/536
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The SCR-536 (also referred to as the BC-611) was a hand-held radio transceiver used by the US Army Signal Corps in World War II. It is popularly referred to as a walkie talkie, although it was origina…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCR-536
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The volcanic winter of 536 was among the most severe and protracted episodes of climatic cooling in the Northern Hemisphere in the last two thousand years. The volcanic winter was caused by at least t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_winter_of_536
+ 4 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 15: “the ancestor of Likweli split from the ancestor of Colobus satanas... about four to five million years ago”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided Wikipedia results for 'Colobus' and 'Angola colobus' do not mention the specific divergence time of 4-5 million years between Colobus congoensis and Colobus satanas.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Angola colobus (Colobus angolensis), Angolan black-and-white colobus, or Angolan colobus is a primate species of Old World monkey belonging to the genus Colobus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angola_colobus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The genus Colobus comprises the black-and-white colobus monkeys. It is a genus of Old World monkey native to Africa. The genus is closely related to the red colobus monkeys of genus Piliocolobus. Ther…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colobus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Red colobuses are Old World monkeys of the genus Piliocolobus. It was formerly considered a subgenus within the genus Procolobus, which is now restricted to the olive colobus. They are closely related…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_colobus
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.