[rustyhancock]

I wish they called it confirmed and not discovered

It was known about by the locals, they even gave it a name, it's call was very well known even if few had sighted it.

They did important scientific work to confirm a distinct species. But they did not discover it unless you discount the local people!

[dash2]

I mean did the locals think of the two species as separate? If not then the discovery of a separate species is what’s important, not the knowledge of the physical population. Or was the population previously unknown to researchers?

[markdown]

Incredible that that language is still used in 2026.

https://www.audubon.org/news/like-finding-unicorn-researcher...

This article about finding a bird presumed to be extinct for 140yrs is a good example of the local people knowing the bird was there all along, and guiding researchers with cameras to spots where they could find them.

BTW the youtube video on that page of the team in utter jubilation upon seeing the photos in their cameras never fails to make me smile.

[BobaFloutist]

I mean it's used by editors in headlines, but the article itself says "has described a new Colobus monkey species," and goes on to discuss the locals (relative un)familiarity with the species.