Scientists Discover 'Leopardus Tilcayo' in Bolivia, First New Cat Species Named in Over a Century
In a historic scientific breakthrough, an international team of researchers has formally identified and named a new living feline species, Leopardus tilcayo, found in the humid Yungas cloud forests of Bolivia. Published in the journal Current Biology, the research marks the first formal description of a completely new living cat species in more than a century.
Known locally as the "tilcayo," the diminutive wild cat belongs to the tiger cat group within the genus Leopardus. Measuring approximately 46 centimeters (18 inches) in length and weighing around 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds), the feline is noticeably smaller than a domestic house cat. It features light brown fur covered with irregularly shaped rosettes and rounded ears. Lead researchers Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz and Jonas Lescroart utilized genomic sequencing across dozens of feline samples to establish that the animal possesses a distinct genetic profile separating it from other South American tiger cats.
Biologists noted that the nocturnal predator feeds primarily on small rodents and inhabits high-altitude, fog-shrouded mountain ecosystems. The discovery not only reshapes the feline family tree in South America but also highlights urgent conservation priorities. Because Leopardus tilcayo occupies a geographically limited habitat threatened by agricultural expansion and deforestation, wildlife experts emphasize that immediate protection measures are essential to preserve the newly recognized species from extinction.
