Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Earth Science News .




FLORA AND FAUNA
First-ever photograph of Bouvier's red colobus monkey taken in Congo
by Brooks Hays
Brazzaville, Republic Of The Congo (UPI) Apr 17, 2015


disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

The Bouvier's red colobus monkey is not extinct. Researchers can now say so for sure, thanks to the first-ever photograph of the rare Old World Monkey.

Bouvier's red colobus monkey was once considered a sub-species of Pennant's colobus monkeys, a variety endemic to Central Africa. But most scientists now believe Bouvier's red colobus (Piliocolobus bouvieri) to be its own species, found only in the forests of the Republic of Congo.

No specimen had been seen in more than a half-century. But on a recent trip into the wilds of Ntokou-Pikounda National Park, independent researchers Lieven Devreese and Gael Elie Gnondo Gobolo photographed the elusive monkey.

"Our photos are the world's first and confirm that the species is not extinct," Devreese told the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Aided by locals with intimate knowledge of the wildlife -- and with the vocalizations of colobus monkeys -- Devreese and Gnondo located not just one but a whole group of the monkeys living in the swamp forests that abut the park's Bokiba River.

"We're very pleased indeed that Lieven and Gael were able to achieve their objective of not only confirming that Bouvier's red colobus still exists, but also managing to get a very clear close-up picture of a mother and infant," Dr. Fiona Maisels, an ecologist with the Wildlife Conservation Society, said in a press release. "Thankfully, many of these colobus monkeys live in the recently gazetted national park and are protected from threats such as logging, agriculture, and roads, all of which can lead to increased hunting."

First observed in 1887, the scientific understanding of the rare monkey has been limited to analysis of just two specimens in museum storage, collected more than a century ago. Nature expeditions sometimes returned with reports of sightings, but until now, no photographic evidence existed.

Now that biologists know an intact population can be found within the confines of Ntokou-Pikounda National Park, researchers plan to study the rare species in greater detail.

Red colobus monkeys, of which there are several species, are consistently endangered in their native habitat as they lack a strong fear of humans -- making them especially vulnerable to hunting.

While the species' health is precarious, researchers say it is a positive that the monkeys have an established wildlife preserve.

"Confirmation that Bouvier's red colobus still thrives in the this area reminds us that there remain substantially intact wild places on Earth," said James Deutsch, vice president of conservation strategy at WCS, "and should re-energize all of us to save them before it is too late."


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Darwin Today At TerraDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle




Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News





FLORA AND FAUNA
New DNA dataset is potent, accessible tool
Oak Ridge TN (SPX) Apr 16, 2015
Scientists focused on producing biofuels more efficiently have a new powerful dataset to help them study the DNA of microbes that fuel bioconversion and other processes. In a paper published in Nature Scientific Data, researchers from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, North Carolina State University and LanzaTech describe methods and results for sequencing the Clost ... read more


FLORA AND FAUNA
Reducing the disaster risk and increasing resilience

Healthier communities recover better from disasters

Humanitarian fears grow as strikes, clashes rock Yemen

Red Cross, UN fly aid into Yemen as raids batter south

FLORA AND FAUNA
Zuckerberg sees 'wild' future for virtual reality

Britain orders Kelvin Hughes radar system

Intel lifted by data centers, as PC market flounders

Largest database of elastic properties accelerates material science

FLORA AND FAUNA
US govt sued over sea turtles snared in shrimp nets

Can't pay? Won't pay! -- putting a price on water

Indian village gets 'world's cheapest bottled water'

The life force of African rivers

FLORA AND FAUNA
Gradual, prolonged permafrost greenhouse gas emissions forecast

Western Canada to lose 70 percent of glaciers by 2100

Alaska animals could experience habitat change from warming climate

Sea Shepherd in dramatic rescue of Antarctic 'poaching' ship crew

FLORA AND FAUNA
Most comprehensive study to date reveals evolutionary history of citrus

In parched California, Beverly Hills may go greener by going brown

Diversity in a monoculture

Study puts a price on help nature provides agriculture

FLORA AND FAUNA
'Volcano of Fire' spews ash on Mexican city

Researchers test smartphones for earthquake warning

Cyprus jolted by strongest quake in 16 years

US Marines plan force in Honduras for hurricane season

FLORA AND FAUNA
Holdout Mali rebels refuse to initial peace accord

Pygmies demand end to discrimination in DR Congo

Nigerian president quits voting station after tech glitch

Regional troops retake Nigerian town from Boko Haram

FLORA AND FAUNA
Complex cognition shaped the Stone Age hand axe

Neanderthals manipulated bodies shortly after death

Why we have chins

World's oldest tools found near Africa's Lake Turkana




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.