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Variety
New
monkey species discovered in the Colombian Amazon
Only 250 of these monkeys are said to be in
existence.:
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The cat-sized titi monkey discovered recently. |
A Colombian monkey species that had long been rumoured but which
scientists couldn't reach because of insurgent violence in the remote
area where it lives has finally been found - teetering on the brink of
extinction.
The new species of cat-sized titi monkey was discovered in the
Colombian Amazon by researchers from the National University of
Colombia, who dubbed it Callicebus caquetensis. However, it's not known
how long the species will last. The scientists estimate that only 250 of
the monkeys are still alive, as their forest home is being cut down to
make way for farms.The monkeys live close to the border with Ecuador and
Peru.
Evolutionary biologist, Martin Moynihan saw the species in the 1980s,
but violence in the area kept researchers who could confirm the
discovery away until 2008, when scientists Thomas Defler, Marta Bueno
and Javier Garcoa were finally able to travel to the upper Caquet River,
where they found 13 groups of the monkeys.
The discovery is described in the current issue of the journal
Primate Conservation.
The monkeys, called zogui zogui in Spanish, have one of the most
complex calls in the animal kingdom, which they use to mark their
territory.
"We had heard about this animal, but for a long time we could not
confirm if it was different from other titis.
We now know that this is a unique species, and it shows the rich
diversity of life that is still to be discovered in the Amazon," Defler
said in a statement issued by Conservation International, which helped
fund the research.
Courtesy: Sciencefair |
