New Bolivian spotted cat identified as distinct species
Scientists have confirmed that a spotted wildcat from Bolivia represents a previously unknown species, adding to the diversity of small South American felines and highlighting conservation needs.
A small, spotted wildcat from Bolivia's Yungas forest has been classified as a new species, Leopardus tilcayo, after DNA analysis distinguished it from other tiger cats. The only known living individual, a ten-year-old rescued cat nicknamed “Tigrino,” resides in a Bolivian sanctuary, but researchers believe additional members exist in the wild.
"It’s an amazing result that we have a new species for the world, which is the Leopardus tilcayo," said Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz of Universidad Mayor de San Andres in La Paz.
The discovery emerged from a collaborative study that examined genetic material from living animals and museum specimens, revealing that the tiger-cat group may comprise five species rather than the three previously recognized.
"There’s so few records or pictures, no individual in a museum, so it was hiding because nobody was looking," explained conservation geneticist Eduardo Eizirik of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.
Co-researcher Caroline Sartor of the University of Oxford emphasized that identifying the species is a prerequisite for effective protection, noting that many tiger cats face threats from deforestation, habitat loss and illegal hunting.
The finding also raises the total count of recognized cat species in the Felidae family from 41 to at least 44, underscoring the extent of undiscovered biodiversity in understudied regions.
"These cats are confusing because they look so similar and there are few specimens in museums, so even now we are still learning how to tell them apart as genetics reveal more species," said mammal expert Andrew Kitchener of National Museums, Scotland.