Researchers have identified a previously unknown species of wild cat in Bolivia, marking the first discovery of a new wild cat species in nearly a century.
Named Leopardus tilcayo, the small cat has a slender body, spotted coat and rounded ears. It is smaller than an average domestic cat and is found in the Bolivian Yungas, a forest region where the Andes meet the Amazon Basin.
The first scientific description of the species was published last Thursday in the journal Current Biology. Researchers say the discovery is particularly significant because newly identified animal species are often small or difficult to detect, making the identification of a relatively large mammal such as a wild cat unusual.
Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, Head of Operations at the Bolivian Wild Cat Research and Conservation Program and a co-author of the study, said the discovery represents the identification and scientific description of an animal that had never previously been recognised as a distinct species.
Researchers have not yet established the total population of Leopardus tilcayo in the wild. Nogales-Ascarrunz, who is involved in conservation work supported by the National Geographic Society, said further research is needed to determine how many of the cats remain in the wild and to develop appropriate conservation measures.
Small wild cats of the Leopardus genus, which are native to South and Central America, face growing threats from urbanisation and agricultural expansion. The latest research adds another species to the region’s known diversity of wild cats and highlights the need for further study and conservation.
