Monkey News: Update

A friend with more time than sense gets in touch with further details of Monkey World & its environs. These will drip-fed into the public domain in an attempt to create a sense of "momentum" for Monkey World.

In the mean time...The first new genus of monkey for 83 years has been discovered...

This has *got* to be big news in Monkey World.

It's certainly big news in the monkey world.

"The monkey, first described by WCS scientists who found it in Tanzania last year, was initially believed to be related to mangabeys. However, DNA work published in this recent study reveals that the species is truly unique, marking the first new genus for a living monkey species since Allen's swamp monkey in 1923. The new genus, Rungwecebus, (pronounced rung-way-CEE-bus) refers to Mt. Rungwe, where the monkey was first observed. Perhaps 500 remain in the wild."

"The monkey is brown, with a long, erect crest of hair on its head, elongated cheek whiskers, an off-white belly and tail, and an unusual call, termed a 'honk-bark' by the scientists who first described it. It stands about 3 feet tall (90 cm). The monkeys occur as high as 8,000 ft (2450 m) where temperatures frequently drop below freezing; its long coat is probably an adaptation to the cold."

Apparently it's endangered - so "Save the Rungwecebus" is a cry likely to be heard from many a loud hailer in the coming months and years. The scientists who found it are making a big deal about how we need to save it, but I can't help feeling they could have given it a more Sale-able name, like "Cuddly Monkey" or "Cute Monkey" in the interests of public relations.

Scientists. Typical.

I'm also fascinated by "Allen"; who he was, whether it was he who found the "swamp monkey" and what one has to do in order to acquire possession of a swamp monkey as Allen appears to have done.

Any swamp monkey experts do please get in touch.