Scientists Discover New Cat Species In Bolivia With A Leopard-Like Appearance

A new species of wild "tiger cat" has been discovered in Bolivia, with only one confirmed living member known so far. The small feline is smaller than a domestic cat and has leopard-like spots, short round ears, long whiskers and a scrunched-up face, according to People.

The species has been named Leopardus tilcayo, according to a study published in the journal Current Biology. It is the first new felid, or cat, species discovered in more than 100 years, since the Pampas cat was found in 1923.

Biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz first heard about the cat in 2016 after receiving a call from the Senda Verde wildlife sanctuary near the Andes. A local man had found the animal as a kitten a year earlier and took it home, thinking it was a domestic cat. After a year, he realised it was a wild animal and would be better suited to sanctuary life.

At first, Nogales-Ascarrunz thought the cat was a Leopardus tigrinus, sometimes known as an oncilla or "tiger cat." In 2019, she noticed that its markings were larger and did not match a reference photo.

Researchers found that locals call the cat tilcayo and proposed the name Leopardus tilcayo. So far, the cat has been found in Bolivia's Yungas forest region.

Scientists are still trying to learn more about it, including what it eats and how it reproduces. The discovery may also help scientists find more cat species and understand that Leopardus tigrinus may actually include five different tiger cat species.