Mongabay · Climate & nature

New Cat Species Discovered in Bolivia

Scientists have identified a new species of tiger cat, the tilcayo (Leopardus tilcayo), in Bolivia's Yungas cloud forests. This marks the first discovery of a novel living cat species in over a century.

The tilcayo, named after the local term for the animal, is smaller than a domestic cat, weighing about 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds). It features rounded ears, a slender body, and a spotted coat.

For years, small spotted cats in South America were grouped under the single species name Leopardus tigrinus. However, genetic research has confirmed at least four distinct species within this group.

Unlike other recent discoveries that involved reclassifying subspecies, the tilcayo was a known cat in the Yungas region but had never been formally described.

A breakthrough occurred when a family brought their pet tilcayo, initially thought to be a domestic cat, to a wildlife sanctuary. Genetic testing on this animal and another rescued tilcayo revealed it was a distinct species, genetically separated from other tiger cats approximately 1.4 million years ago.

This genetic divergence is significant, predating the split between humans and Neanderthals.

The last new cat species described before the tilcayo was the Uruguayan pampas cat in 1923.

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