A small wild feline residing in the cloud forests of Bolivia has been recognized as a new species, representing the first official naming and description of a living cat species in over a hundred years.
Locally referred to as Tilcayo, this cat belongs to a group known as tiger cats, which are prevalent throughout much of South America.
Discovered in the vibrant Yungas forest of Bolivia, a mountainous area often shrouded in clouds and characterized by high humidity, this cat measures approximately 46 centimeters (18 inches) in length and weighs around three pounds, making it smaller than the typical house cat, as per researchers’ findings.
Using genetic analysis, scientists confirmed that this feline is indeed a new species, assigning it the scientific designation Leopardus tilcayo, while also preserving its local name.
According to Paola Nogales Ascarrunz, a National Geographic explorer and one of the study’s authors detailing the newly discovered species, “Its fur is light brown with irregularly shaped rosettes scattered across its body.” This study was published on Thursday in the journal Current Biology.
Little is known about the cat’s biology and behavior. Analysis of scat samples containing small rodent remains suggests they might be part of its diet, while evidence from camera traps implies it could be more nocturnal in activity, Nogales Ascarrunz noted.
A close-up of a Leopardus tilcayo cat, the only known individual of the newly identified species living in protective captivity. (Fernando Faciole/National Geographic via Reuters)
Tiger cats are often termed cryptic species, meaning they are not easily distinguishable by mere appearance, stated evolutionary biologist and co-author of the study Jonas Lescroart from the University of Antwerp in Belgium.
Previously, tiger cats were classified as a single species, but genetic analyses conducted decades ago indicated the presence of multiple species.
Only 2 live individuals found so far
Regarding the new species, Lescroart remarked, “Currently, our knowledge is confined to the two live individuals that we studied, along with a limited number of camera-trap recordings.”
One of the living cats is a male aged 10 years, now residing in the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary after being kept by a local family as a pet.
Nogales Ascarrunz observes the cat at the Senda Verde animal refuge in Bolivia on Sept. 1. (Fernando Faciole/National Geographic via Reuters)
The study of the Bolivian cat sparked curiosity as “its features did not align with descriptions that were predominantly based on Brazilian cats,” Nogales Ascarrunz explained. “This raised the question: What type of tiger cat do we actually have in Bolivia?”
The research team examined DNA from 38 tiger cats from various South American countries, including eight specimens from museums. The findings revealed that tiger cats comprise five distinct genetic species.
“We were not anticipating that this Bolivian tiger cat would be classified as a separate species, and no one had suggested it as a different animal—be it subspecies or otherwise,” Lescroart explained.
Genetic evaluations indicated that the Tilcayo lineage diverged from other tiger cats roughly 1.4 million years ago.
“The greater the differences in their DNA, the longer we estimate those lineages have been physically isolated,” Lescroart stated, noting that such a timeframe is typically regarded as indicative of a species-level separation in cats.
The research team also identified a new tiger cat subspecies in Peru’s Yungas, naming it Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo, in honor of Antisuyu, the region of the ancient Inca Empire where it resides.
New species may be listed as endangered
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list, which monitors species status, currently classifies tiger cats as two “vulnerable” species facing population declines.
The researchers have presented their findings to the IUCN, whose forthcoming evaluation will consider the five lineages separately. This could provide a more precise understanding of risk, Lescroart indicated, and species like the Tilcayo might be deemed endangered when evaluated individually.
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The urgency for a clearer evaluation is particularly significant in the Yungas, one of the most threatened ecosystems in the region.
These mountainous forests are increasingly threatened by deforestation, agricultural expansion, human-induced fires, and mining activities, according to Nogales Ascarrunz. Priorities include restoring forest areas damaged by fires, safeguarding remaining native forests, and ensuring connectivity between habitats, she added.
“Demonstrating to the public that even within a prominent group like cats, new species are still being discovered conveys an important message,” stated Eduardo Eizirik, an evolutionary biologist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and senior author of the research.
“There are numerous undiscovered species in the world, and they are at risk of vanishing before we even have the chance to identify them.”