New Tiger Cat Species Discovered in Bolivia Marking First Feline Discovery in a Century

A tiny wild cat inhabiting Bolivia's cloud forests has been identified as a previously unknown species, marking the first time in more than a century that a new living feline species has been formally named and described. Researchers publishing their findings in the journal Current Biology classified the animal under the scientific name Leopardus tilcayo, adopting the vernacular name used by local communities in the mountainous Yungas region.

The newly identified cat measures approximately 46 centimeters, or 18 inches, in length and weighs about 1.4 kilograms, or 3 pounds, placing its dimensions below those of an average domestic cat. Field observations and initial biological assessments indicate the animal possesses light brown fur patterned with irregularly shaped rosettes across its body. Genetic analysis performed on DNA samples from 38 cats across South America demonstrated that tiger cats constitute five distinct species rather than a single widespread category.

The discovery stemmed from investigating a captive animal brought to the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary after being found as a kitten on a road near a forest by a local resident. Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a National Geographic Explorer and co-lead author of the research, observed that the animal's physical characteristics diverged from standard guidebooks based primarily on Brazilian populations. Subsequent genomic comparisons conducted alongside geneticist Eduardo Eizirik and co-lead author Jonas Lescroart placed the tilcayo lineage on a separate branch of the cat family tree.

Genetic data revealed that the tilcayo lineage separated from other tiger cats approximately 1.4 million years ago, a divergence interval comparable to the evolutionary distance between modern lions and extinct cave lions. Researchers noted that tiger cats function as cryptic species whose physical similarities mask deep evolutionary divisions. In addition to naming Leopardus tilcayo, the research team described a new tiger cat subspecies in Peru, designated Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo after the historical Inca region.

Experts independent of the research noted that splitting the tiger cat complex into five distinct species alters conservation baselines. Previously evaluated under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List as two vulnerable species with declining populations, the newly delineated lineages will require individual risk assessments that could elevate specific groups to endangered status.

The Yungas forest ecoregion where the tilcayo resides faces mounting environmental stress from agricultural expansion, mining, human-caused fires, and deforestation. Researchers emphasized that understanding basic aspects of the animal's lifestyle, including its diet of small rodents and nocturnal activity patterns documented via camera traps, remains critical for establishing targeted habitat protection in South America's vulnerable cloud forests.

The research team has submitted its taxonomic findings to the International Union for Conservation of Nature for upcoming evaluations of feline status. Specialists plan to conduct further genomic investigations into related small cat groups, including the margay, to determine whether additional cryptic species remain unrecognized across forest habitats in South America.