Researchers in Bolivia have officially identified a small wild feline with a spotted coat as a previously unknown species, named _Leopardus tilcayo_. The discovery is significant as it marks the first time a new wild cat species has been documented in over a century.
The feline, known to local communities as “tilcayo,” was found in the remote Yungas forest region on the eastern slopes of the Andes. The animal is notably small, measuring approximately 46 centimeters (18 inches) in length and weighing around 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds). Its fur is light brown and covered with irregularly shaped rosettes.
Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a biologist and National Geographic Explorer who led the research, described the finding as a remarkable event. She first encountered the animal in 2016 after receiving a report from a wildlife sanctuary that they had been given an unusual cat. “I took a hundred pictures of it. I was so fascinated,” Nogales-Ascarrunz recalled.
It was only several years later that she realized the feline was distinct from any known species. Genetic analysis, conducted in collaboration with geneticist Eduardo Eizirik, confirmed its unique status and placed it accurately on the feline family tree.
The study was published in the journal _Current Biology_. According to the researchers, only two tilcayos have undergone whole-genome sequencing to date. “So far, it’s only been detected in Bolivia and not anywhere else on the planet,” Nogales-Ascarrunz stated.
Eizirik, an evolutionary biologist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, emphasized the broader implications of the discovery. He noted that finding a new species in such a well-studied group as cats highlights the existence of many undiscovered animals worldwide. “They are at risk of disappearing before we even discover them,” he said.
The last feline species to be scientifically described was the Uruguayan pampas cat in 1923.
Wait, so the last one was found in 1923? That’s over a century. How many other ‘unknown’ species are out there we haven’t even noticed yet?
This is wonderful, but shouldn’t we be more worried about habitat loss in the Andes? They could vanish before we even study them properly.
How small is this thing? 1.4 kilograms is tiny for a wild cat. I’d love to see photos of it in its natural habitat.
Incredible news! I never thought we’d see a new wild cat species confirmed in our lifetime. Nature still has surprises.