Callicebus caquetensis: A New Species of Titi Monkey Discovered

An adult Caquetá titi monkey (Callicebus caquetensis)

A new species of titi monkey has been discovered in a Colombian Amazon expedition. Caquetá titi monkey or Callicebus caquetensis is about the size of a domestic cat with a bushy red beard. Totaling to only about 250 individuals, this newly discovered species is also critically endangered due to severe fragmentation of its habitat.

Along with the news of the discovery is the published paper by Defler et al. (2010), Callicebus caquetensis: A New and Critically Endangered Titi Monkey from Southern Caquetá, Colombia (free pdf). In it, they described the morphology and distribution of the Caquetá titi monkey.

When asked about the discovery, the spokesperson for the Caquetá titi monkey (above) said, "Oh noes, you found us! We can haz cookies now?". OK fine, maybe I made that up.

For more about the discovery, read Pictures: Bushy-Bearded Titi Monkey Discovered on National Geographic.

Extended Habitat For Greater Bamboo Lemurs Found

 A Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus) feeding on Giant Bamboo in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Photo from Wikipedia.

Good news for Madagascar and lemur conservationists! Scientists have spotted bamboo lemurs in 11 sites east of the island where its populations were thought to have disappeared, AFP has reported.

The Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus) is one of the most endangered primates in the world. Endemic to Madagascar, its name suggest that their primary food source is bamboo. Their specialized diet limits its range.

This finding opens "a new chapter for the species and for the places we can protect it by preserving the forest as the main problem is loss of habitat," Mahaoly Ravaloharimanitra, a research assistant at the Aspinall Foundation, told AFP.

The Greater Bamboo Lemur was thought to be extinct until 1980s. Currently there are no more than 300 individuals left. They use to range from western, northern and central Madagascar but are now limited to patches of forest in the southeastern part of Madagascar. Destruction of rain forest habitat by slash and burn agriculture and extensive cutting of bamboo, the lemur's primary food source.

Read more about Greater Bamboo Lemurs on Animal Info.

Two Rare Primates From China and Vietnam Given a Second Chance

Two new protected areas were designated in China and Vietnam recently to protect two of the world's most endangered primates by Fauna and Flora International (FFI). The Tonkin snub nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus), found only in Vietnam, numbers about only 200 individuals in the wild while the eastern black crested gibbon or cao vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus), second most endangered primate in the world, numbers only just 110 individuals. Both species are listed as "critically endangered" in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The Tonkin snub nosed monkeys were thought to be extinct until a small population was rediscovered in the early 1980s.

Read more about the Tonkin snub nosed monkeys, cao vit gibbons and the new nature reserves from Wildlife Extra.

Male (left) and female (right) cao vit gibbons. Photo from Fauna and Flora International.

The Tonkin snub nosed monkey. Photo from Fauna and Flora International.