New Cat Species Discovered for First Time in a Century

A new species of wild cat, the Tilcayo, has been identified for the first time in over 100 years. The small feline, weighing just three pounds and resembling a miniature leopard, was discovered in Bolivia's Yungas forest.

Biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz of the Bolivian Felids Research Program first encountered the unusual cat when it was brought to a local wildlife sanctuary. A man had found the animal on a roadside, initially believing it to be a domestic breed. After keeping it for a year, he decided it would be better suited for a sanctuary.

Nogales-Ascarrunz was intrigued by the animal, describing it as "a weird cat" and taking numerous photographs. She later realized its appearance did not match any known species within the Leopardus genus. The Tilcayo is described as light brown, slender, and covered in rosette-shaped spots.

Genetic analysis conducted by a team including Eduardo Eizirik from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul and Jonas Lescroart from the University of Antwerp confirmed the Tilcayo as a distinct species. Their research suggests the lineage separated from other tiger cats approximately 1.4 million years ago.

"The more differences in their DNA, the longer the time that we estimate those lineages to have been physically separated," Lescroart stated. The Tilcayo measures about 18 inches in length, making it smaller than the average domestic cat.

The last new cat species identified was the pampas cat in 1923. Little is currently known about the Tilcayo's wild population size, reproductive habits, diet, or daily behavior. Researchers hope that the methods used in this discovery will aid in identifying further unknown species globally and emphasize the need for expanded conservation efforts in diverse ecosystems.