Home / Science / New Wild Cat Species Discovered in Bolivia
New Wild Cat Species Discovered in Bolivia
17 Sep
Summary
- A new wild cat species, Leopardus tilcayo, was identified in Bolivian cloud forests.
- This is the first new large mammal species identified in a century.
- Local communities have known of the 'Tilcayo' for generations through traditional knowledge.
For the first time in a century, scientists have identified a new species of wild cat, named Leopardus tilcayo, or the Tilcayo tiger cat. This slender, spotted feline, smaller than a domestic cat, inhabits the Bolivian Yungas, a cloud forest region where the Andes meet the Amazon basin.
The discovery is significant as finding new, relatively large mammal species is exceptionally rare. The species was formally described in the journal Current Biology. Initial identification occurred when a local man brought what he thought was a kitten to a wildlife sanctuary, mistakenly feeding it human food.
Genetic testing confirmed the cat was a unique species, having diverged from other tiger cat lineages approximately 1.4 million years ago. However, local indigenous communities have long been aware of the cat, referring to it as 'Tilcayo' based on generational traditional knowledge.
Conservationists highlight that all five South American tiger cat species inhabit rapidly vanishing habitats. The exact population size of Leopardus tilcayo remains unknown, underscoring the critical need for further scientific research and conservation efforts to protect this newly identified species.
