Scientists have identified a new cat species in Bolivia, marking the first time an entirely new living feline species has been formally named and described in more than a century. Called “Leopardus tilcayo,” the small spotted wild cat lives in the Yungas, a mountainous region of cloud forests on the eastern slopes of the Andes.
The discovery was reported in the journal Current Biology after researchers examined genetic material from tiger cats across South America. The tilcayo measures about 18 inches from its head to the base of its tail and weighs about 3 pounds, making it smaller than an average domestic cat.
It has light brown fur covered with irregular dark rosettes. Bolivian biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, one of the researchers involved in the study, described the animal’s unusually small size simply: “He really is tiny.”
How the new cat species in Bolivia was identified
The investigation began with a male cat that had been found as a kitten in Bolivia’s Nor Yungas region in 2016. A local resident initially believed it was a domestic cat before it was eventually taken to the Senda Verde animal sanctuary.
New cat species discovered in over 100 years
Scientists have identified Leopardus tilcayo, a tiny wild cat found in Bolivia’s Yungas forests. The discovery began with a wildlife sanctuary reporting a “weird cat” and was later confirmed through genetic research pic.twitter.com/9VVJgdYTIH
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Researchers initially thought the animal belonged to the known tiger cat species Leopardus tigrinus. Questions emerged after its appearance did not match descriptions of other tiger cats, particularly animals documented in Brazil.
Scientists then compared complete genomes from 38 cats from different parts of South America, including DNA obtained from eight historical museum specimens. The analysis showed that the Bolivian animal belonged to a separate evolutionary lineage that split from related tiger cats about 1.4 million years ago.
“We never expected this Bolivian tiger cat to be a separate species,” study co-lead author Jonas Lescroart told Reuters.
DNA study reshapes the tiger cat family tree
The wider genetic study concluded that South America’s tiger cats represent five distinct species rather than the simpler classification used in the past. Researchers also described a new subspecies from Peru’s Yungas, named “Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo.”
The name “tilcayo” was retained from the name traditionally used by communities in Bolivia’s Yungas. Researchers said little is known about the species in the wild. Its presence has been genetically confirmed in Bolivia, but its full range and population size remain unknown.
Early evidence from scat suggests small rodents are part of its diet, while camera traps indicate the cat may be more active at night. Researchers say further field studies are needed to understand its behavior, reproduction, distribution and conservation needs.
The discovery could also affect conservation assessments. The Yungas forests face pressure from deforestation, agricultural expansion, fires and mining. Researchers have shared their findings with the International Union for Conservation of Nature as scientists work to assess the newly separated tiger cat lineages individually.
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