Scientists have discovered a new primate species in the jungles of Myanmar and it’s already at risk of extinction.
The Popa langur is a type of monkey with a long tail, rings around its eyes, and a crest of fur on top of its head. There are only an estimated 200 to 260 left, according to a news release by the London Natural History Museum, which collaborated on this study.
The research team named the Popa langurs after the sacred extinct volcano Mount Popa and classified them as “critically endangered.”
Roberto Portela Miguez, a senior curator at the Natural History Museum, in the release said “Sadly this is a bittersweet discovery due to the limited number of individuals left in the wild and fragmented populations”.
“The hope is that by giving this species the scientific status and notoriety it merits, there will be even more concerted efforts in protecting this area and the few other remaining populations.”
The scientists, spanning three organizations, published their findings on Wednesday in the journal Zoological Research.
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