Highland discovery: New monkey species found in mountain forests of Tanzania

Working at several field sites, anthropologist Carolyn Ehardt is currently researching the ecology and conservation of endangered primates.

A University of Georgia anthropologist is part of an effort that has discovered the first new monkey species found in Africa since 1984. Two research projects working independently in East Africa each discovered the “highland mangabey,” one in the Ndundulu Forest of the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania and the other in the southern highlands, 350 kilometers to the southwest.

UGA primatologist Carolyn Ehardt directs the project that made the discovery in the Udzungwas, where she has been conducting conservation research over the past decade.

Ehardt’s co-discovery was published last month in the journal Science. The co-discoverers include researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society and Conservation International.