Scientists Describe New Wild Cat Species in Bolivia's Cloud Forest
Researchers have formally identified Leopardus tilcayo, a small spotted cat native to Bolivia's Yungas cloud forest, marking the first new wild cat species described in a century.
A team of biologists has officially described a new species of wild cat, Leopardus tilcayo, found in the cloud forests of Bolivia's Yungas region where the Andes meet the Amazon basin. The slender, spotted feline is smaller than a domestic cat and was detailed in the journal Current Biology.
Co-author Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, who leads a Bolivian felid conservation program, said the discovery is unusual because new mammal species of this size are rarely identified. Genetic analysis of two specimens collected at a wildlife sanctuary near La Paz showed the cats diverged from other tiger-cat lineages about 1.4 million years ago, supporting their classification as a distinct species.
Local residents have known the animal, called “tilcayo,” for generations, but it had never been documented by scientists. The sanctuary staff initially thought the animal might belong to a known tiger-cat species, but differences in spot patterns and tail shape prompted further investigation.
The researchers noted that all five South American tiger-cat species inhabit habitats that are rapidly disappearing due to development and agriculture. "All of them are in habitats that are vanishing fast," said ecologist Tadeu de Oliveira, a co-author of the study.
Population size of the new species remains unknown, and the authors emphasized the need for additional field studies to inform conservation measures. Nogales-Ascarrunz, whose work is funded by National Geographic, highlighted the importance of scientific research for protecting the newly identified cat.