The animal kingdom has a new member. On September 12, a new kind of monkey was discovered. It is called the lesula.
Scientists first saw the lesula in June, 2007 in Opala in the democratic Republic of congo (刚果民主共和国). The country is often called the DRC. It locates in Central Africa. The lesula lives in the rainforests.
The lesula is native to Central Africa. It has been compared to another kind of monkey called owl-faced monkey. They are similar in size and both have a stripe (条纹) on their nose. These new findings on the lesula prove that the two monkeys are close relatives, but different kinds. Scientists say the lesula is usually 12 pounds in weight and 20 inches in height. It doesn't eat meat. Its home is nearly 11,000 square miles across the DRC's eastern central basin (盆地).
Robert is a zoology (动物学) professor at Uganda's Makerere University. He says that the eastern central basin may be filled with animals yet to be discovered. This new discovery also creates awareness about the importance of protecting African rainforests. Many forests are damaged because of illegal hunting. Protecting these rainforests allows new animals like the lesula to continue to grow and change.
