Scientists have formally identified and described a previously unknown wild cat species in Bolivia, South America, marking the first discovery of a new living feline species in more than 100 years. Named Leopardus Tilcayo, or the Tilcayo tiger cat, the small feline was identified in the country's mountainous Yungas cloud forests, where the Andes meet the Amazon basin.
The Tilcayo is about 46 centimetres long and weighs approximately 1.4 kilograms, making it smaller than an average domestic cat. Researchers describe the animal as having light-brown fur, short rounded ears and large, dark, irregularly shaped rosettes across its body, reported Reuters.
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Although the species is newly recognised by science, local communities have known the animal for generations and referred to it as “Tilcayo.” Researchers retained the local name while formally describing the species, recognising traditional knowledge surrounding the animal.
Photo Credit: Fernando Faciole / National Geographic
DNA Analysis Confirms New Species
The discovery was supported by genomic research involving DNA from 38 tiger cats collected across several South American countries. Scientists found that tiger cats comprise five genetically distinct species. Genetic analysis indicated that the Tilcayo lineage separated from other tiger cats approximately 1.4 million years ago.
The species remains poorly understood. Camera-trap observations suggest it may be primarily nocturnal, while analysis of its droppings indicates that small rodents could form part of its diet. Researchers currently have information from only two live individuals, along with a limited number of camera-trap records.
The study also identified a new tiger-cat subspecies in Peru's Yungas, named Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo.
Scientists warned that the Yungas ecosystem faces pressure from deforestation, agricultural expansion, fires and mining. According to the Reuters, the researchers have submitted information on the newly identified species to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for consideration in future conservation assessments.
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The findings were published in Current Biology, highlighting that new species can still be identified even among relatively well-studied animal groups such as wild cats.
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