New white monkey species found in Sri Lanka's rain forest

The members of Galle Wildlife Conservation Association say that they have identified a new species of white monkeys from Sri Lanka's World Heritage site of Sinharaja rain forest.The researchers have confirmed that the new species was not an albino of the common black monkey found in Sinharaja forest.

Chairman of Galle Wildlife Conservation Association Madura de Silva said that they traced this white monkey species in several places in the southern region of the Sinharaja forest during a survey conducted with the assistance of the Biodiversity Unit of the Ministry of Environment.

The group issued the photos of the white monkeys they took following the information from the treacle tappers in the border villages of Sinharaja.

The research team has observed 26 monkey troops in the rain forests and home gardens around Galle and Matara districts and found 30 individuals with unusual white color in 14 troops.

The group comprising Madura de Silva, Nadika Hapuarachchi and P.A. Rohan Krishantha, reports that the white monkey is a color morph of the southern purple faced leaf langer and systematic DNA testing is needed to determine subspecies and form accurate maps of locations.

Source:http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11A/Sep11_1315723415KA.php