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

A newly identified wild cat species, named Leopardus tilcayo, has been discovered in Bolivia's lush cloud forests, marking the first time in more than a century that a new living feline species has been formally described. Locally known as 'tilcayo', the tiny cat is part of the tiger cat group found across South America.

Discovered in the Yungas forest by a research team led by National Geographic Explorer Paola Nogales Ascarrunz, the cat measures 46cm long and weighs about 1.4kg. According to Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, the study's co-author whose findings were published in Current Biology, the cat features light brown fur with irregularly shaped rosettes.

Little is known about its biology, though scat samples containing small rodents suggest part of its diet, and camera-trap evidence indicates nocturnal habits. Evolutionary biologist and study co-lead author Jonas Lescroart of the University of Antwerp explained that tiger cats are cryptic species that are difficult to distinguish by appearance alone.

The research involved analyzing DNA from 38 cats across South American countries and eight museum specimens, revealing that tiger cats comprise five genetically distinct species. Genetic analysis indicates the tilcayo lineage separated approximately 1.4 million years ago. Additionally, the team described a new tiger cat subspecies in Peru's Yungas, named Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo.