This is an interesting face, don't you think? Chances are this is the first time you have ever seen one because this species of monkey has just been discovered by scientists in Central Africa. It has been known to locals simply as lesula, a medium sized, slender animal that looks similar to an owl-faced monkey already known to scientists.
New primate species are rare, but they do show up from time to time. There are many other discoveries though, and the estimate is that only one sixth of the world's species have been identified -- how do they know that if they haven't been discovered? Hmm, well I'll take the word of the scientific community.
The challenge is not identification. It is ensuring habitat isn't destroyed by humans for species we don't even know about yet. Whether you are an ardent creationist or hard-nosed evolutionist or somewhere in between, this world is remarkable in its diversity. I thank God for the vast variety of creatures of every shape and size. I just hope we don't end up as the voracious killer species that turns creation into a biological wasteland. In the case of the lesula, the illegal deforestation of the Democratic Republic of Congo laying waste to its habitat.
I would like to believe that humans can be a force for good rather than destruction because we have the God-given humility to see the intrinsic value of other creatures, not just the monetary value of resources. It does seem to be a tough sell. This lesula seems to be saying "what do you mean 'new species',--I've been here all along!
What is your response to this discovery? Are religions a help or a hindrance to the efforts to respect other species?
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