New Wild Cat Species Identified in Bolivia

Scientists have formally described Leopardus tilcayo, the first new cat species identified in more than a century, found in Bolivia's Yungas cloud forests.

• A study published in Current Biology this week names the cat Leopardus tilcayo after its local name, marking the first new cat species formally described since 1923.
• An international team compared DNA from 38 cats across South America, revealing five distinct tiger cat species rather than the previously recognized 2–4; the tilcayo lineage split about 1.4 million years ago.
• A Bolivian family surrendered a kitten to the Senda Verde wildlife refuge in 2016, where biologist Paola Nogales Ascarrunz determined its physical traits did not match known tiger cat species.
• Tiger cats are collectively listed as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List, and the tilcayo has not yet received an individual conservation assessment.