New Wild Cat Species Discovered in Bolivia After More Than a Century

Scientists have identified a previously unknown wild cat species living in Bolivia's cloud forests, marking the first time a new living cat species has been formally named and described in more than a century.

Key points

• Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.
• One of the living cats is a 10-year-old male now housed at the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary after previously being kept by a local family.
• The research team analysed DNA from 38 cats sampled throughout a number of South American countries, including eight museum specimens.
• After Antisuyu, the region of the former Inca Empire that included the area where it lives, they named it Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo.
• Add as a preferredSource on Google Follow on Google News Join WhatsApp.

Known locally as Tilcayo, the animal belongs to a group of South American felines known as tiger cats. Researchers offered the new species the scientific name Leopardus tilcayo, retaining its traditional local name.

Meanwhile, the cat lives in Bolivia's Yungas forest, a mountainous region known for dense vegetation, frequent cloud cover, and high humidity.

It measures around 18 inches long and weighs regarding three pounds, making it smaller than an average domestic cat. Genetic Testing Confirmed a New Species.

Researchers applied genetic analysis to establish that Tilcayo represents a separate species.

Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a National Geographic Explorer and co-author of the study published in Current Biology, described the animal as having light-brown fur with irregularly shaped rosettes throughout its body.

Particularly little is at present known regarding the species' behaviour or biology. Researchers discovered remains of small rodents in scat samples, suggesting they may form part of its diet. Camera-trap records additionally indicate that the cat could be more active at night.

Tiger cats are considered cryptic species, meaning different species can look particularly similar and are challenging to distinguish through appearance alone, according to evolutionary biologist and study co-lead author Jonas Lescroart of the University of Antwerp.

Tiger cats were previously considered a single species, but genetic studies carried out decades ago indicated that the group could contain a number of separate species.

Researchers at present have information from only two living Tilcayo individuals and a small number of camera-trap records.

One of the living cats is a 10-year-old male now housed at the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary after previously being kept by a local family. Karachi Safari Park Elephant Madhubala Faces Serious Health Emergency. Researchers Discovered Five Distinct Tiger Cat Species.

Scientists became interested in the Bolivian cat since its characteristics did not match existing descriptions. It were largely based on tiger cats from Brazil.

For context, the research team analysed DNA from 38 cats sampled throughout a number of South American countries, including eight museum specimens.

Meanwhile, the results indicated that tiger cats actually represent five genetically distinct species.

As it had never previously been proposed as a distinct animal or subspecies, lescroart remarked the researchers had not anticipated the Bolivian tiger cat to represent an entirely separate species.

Genetic analysis suggests that the Tilcayo lineage separated from other tiger cats around 1.4 million years ago.

According to Lescroart, greater genetic differences indicate longer periods of physical separation between populations, and a divide of this scale is generally considered sufficient to distinguish species among cats.

New cat alert! A call from a wildlife sanctuary regarding a "weird cat" has led to the first new cat species discovered in over 100 years in Bolivia's Yungas forest ecoregion. Learn more regarding this feline surprise: pic.twitter.com/USo7rI3Y5q. National Geographic (@NatGeo) September 17, 2026. New Subspecies Additionally Identified in Peru.

In practice, the researchers additionally described a new tiger cat subspecies from Peru's Yungas.

Notably, the IUCN Red List at present treats tiger cats as two vulnerable species with declining populations.

Researchers have shared their findings with the IUCN. It is projected to assess the five genetic lineages separately during its next review.

Lescroart remarked separate assessments could provide a clearer picture of the threats facing each group. Tilcayo, for example, could potentially qualify as endangered when evaluated independently. Punjab Builds Pakistan's First Wildlife Hospital. Bolivia's Yungas Forest Faces Growing Threats.

In practice, a clearer conservation assessment could be particularly significant in the Yungas. It researchers describe as one of the region's most threatened ecosystems.

Notably, the mountain forests face increasing pressure from deforestation, agricultural expansion, human-caused fires and mining.

Nogales-Ascarrunz remarked restoring forest areas damaged by fire, protecting remaining native forests and maintaining connections between habitats should be treated as urgent priorities.

Eduardo Eizirik, an evolutionary biologist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul and senior author of the study, remarked discovering a new species even among well-known animals such as cats indicates how much biodiversity remains undocumented.

He cautioned that numerous undiscovered species worldwide could disappear before scientists even identify them. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

Obtain the latest news, tech updates, telecom insights, and business stories wherever you prefer. Follow on Google Discover.

Technology and Automotive Specialist covering the latest cars, smartphones, AI breakthroughs, and.

In short, new Wild Cat Species Discovered in Bolivia After More Than a Century is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.