New Cat Species Identified in Bolivia, First in over a Century
- Researchers published a study on Thursday in Current Biology identifying Leopardus tilcayo as a new tiger cat species, marking the first novel feline discovered in over 100 years.
- Biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a National Geographic Explorer, began investigating the 'weird cat' after receiving a 2016 call from a Bolivian wildlife sanctuary; the animal had been mistaken for a domestic kitten.
- Genomic comparisons revealed L. tilcayo diverged from other lineages around 1.4 million years ago and inhabits Bolivia's Yungas cloud forest, weighing just 3 to 4 pounds and smaller than a house cat.
- Evolutionary biologist Jonas Lescroart from the University of Antwerp said the discovery "is definitely expected to increase conservation attention," with researchers calling for re-evaluation of species previously grouped under a single label.
- Future research will install camera traps in Bolivia's Yungas region to track L. tilcayo populations while preserving traditional knowledge; local communities have recognized the cat as 'tilcayo' for generations.
37 Articles
37 Articles
Scientists Identify First New Cat Species in Century
Genetic analysis across South America identifies Leopardus tilcayo, a small Tilcayo tiger cat from Bolivia, as a distinct new species—the first to be named in about a century—and notes a broader reclassification that recognizes five tiger-cat species in the region, including a subspecies of L. tigrinus called antisuyo. The findings underscore biodiversity in the tiger-cat group amid conservation concerns and clarify the long-contested cat family…
South China Morning Post
New cat species identified in Bolivia, first in over a century
A diminutive wild cat that inhabits Bolivia’s cloud forest has been identified as a previously unknown species, marking the first time a new living cat species has been formally named and described in more than a century. The cat, called Tilcayo by local communities, is part of a group called tiger cats found across much of South America. It was found in Bolivia’s lush Yungas forest, a mountainous region where forests are often covered by clou…
It is the first time for over a century that a new feline has come to light. The others of its kind are considered "vulnerable" in the Red List of the Iucn
A small brown fur feline of just half a metre has just become a new species for science.
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