New wild cat species discovered in Bolivia forests

Researchers have confirmed the existence of a new wild cat species in the forests of Bolivia, a discovery made possible by the only known living member of the species currently residing in a wildlife sanctuary.

The small feline, comparable in size to a domestic house cat, was initially mistaken for other spotted wild cats due to its similar markings. However, advanced DNA analysis has revealed it belongs to a distinct lineage, previously unrecognized by science.

Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz of Universidad Mayor de San Andres in La Paz described the discovery of Leopardus tilcayo, commonly nicknamed ‘Tigrino’, as remarkable. She noted that the finding underscores how much biodiversity remains hidden even in accessible regions, rather than requiring expeditions to remote volcanoes or islands.

The breakthrough began when Dr. Nogales-Ascarrunz, volunteering at the sanctuary, noticed the 10-year-old cat exhibited unusual traits. Found in the forest by a local resident who initially thought it was a kitten, the animal displayed behaviors inconsistent with domestic cats as it matured.

Despite hearing reports of similar small wild cats in Bolivia’s dense Yungas region, these sightings had previously gone uninvestigated. To solve the mystery, Dr. Nogales-Ascarrunz collaborated with an international team of researchers, analyzing DNA from both living animals and museum specimens to reconstruct the family history of tiger cats.

Eduardo Eizirik, a conservation geneticist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, remarked that the species had effectively been ‘hiding’ because there were so few records or museum specimens available for comparison.

The study, published in the journal Current Biology, yielded further surprises, suggesting that the tiger cat group—small, spotted wild cats found across Central and South America from Costa Rica to Argentina—contains five species rather than the previously accepted three.

Dr. Caroline Sartor from the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at the University of Oxford emphasized that identification is only the first step toward protection. She argued that effective conservation is impossible without knowing what species exists and where it lives, highlighting the importance of studying less-explored regions.

Tiger cat species are generally considered vulnerable to extinction due to deforestation, habitat loss, and illegal hunting. The newly described Tilcaya cat was not included in previous conservation assessments.

The discovery also has broader implications for the biological family Felidae, which includes all living cats from domestic pets to tigers. While 41 species were officially recognized, this finding potentially raises the total count to 44 or more.

Andrew Kitchener, an expert in mammals at National Museums Scotland who was not involved in the research, described South American tiger cats as a ‘taxonomic nightmare’ due to their striking similarities and the scarcity of museum specimens. He noted that genetics continue to reveal how much remains to be learned about these elusive animals.