New Wild Cat Species Discovered in Bolivia After More Than a Century

Researchers have identified a brand new wild cat species living in the cloud forests of Bolivia, marking the first time a new living cat species has been formally described in over a hundred years. Local communities call the animal 'Tilcayo', and scientists have given it the scientific name Leopardus tilcayo. The small cat measures about 46 centimetres in length and weighs roughly 1.4 kilograms, which makes it smaller than an ordinary house cat. It lives in the mountainous Yungas forest region of Bolivia, an area known for high humidity and thick cloud cover. Study author Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz noted that the cat has light brown fur with irregular spot patterns across its body. Scientists confirmed the animal as a separate species using genetic data. Researchers studied DNA samples from 38 cats across multiple South American countries, including eight museum specimens. The genetic work showed that tiger cats actually consist of five distinct species, and the Tilcayo lineage split from other tiger cats roughly 1.4 million years ago. Very little is known about the lifestyle and biology of the Tilcayo. Leftover remains of small rodents found in its waste samples suggest that mice and rats form part of its diet, while photographs from automated camera-traps show the animal is likely more active during the night. Study co-lead author Jonas Lescroart explained that information on the animal is currently limited to just two live individuals that researchers examined along with a small number of camera-trap photos. One of the live animals is a 10-year-old male living at the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary after a local family previously kept it as a pet in their home. In addition to this discovery, the research team also identified a new tiger cat subspecies in the Yungas region of Peru, naming it Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo.