Scientists have identified a new species of wild cat in Bolivia’s Yungas cloud forests. Named Leopardus tilcayo, or the Tilcayo tiger cat, it is the first new living cat species formally described by science in more than 100 years. The small spotted cat is about 46 centimetres long and weighs around 1.4 kilograms. It has light-brown fur with dark, irregular rosettes, a slender body, short rounded ears and long whiskers.
Meet the Tilcayo tiger cat
Scientific name: Leopardus tilcayo
Common name: Tilcayo tiger cat
Group: Tiger cats
Home: Yungas cloud forests, Bolivia
Length: About 46 centimetres
Weight: Around 1.4 kilograms
Family: Felidae
Looks: Light-brown fur with dark rosettes, a slender body, short rounded ears and long whiskers
How was Tilcayo Tiger Cat identified?
Biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz first noticed the unusual cat at a wildlife sanctuary in Bolivia in 2016. Scientists later studied DNA from 38 cats and found that the Tilcayo belonged to a separate evolutionary lineage that split from other tiger cats about 1.4 million years ago.
The species is extremely rare, and scientists know very little about its life in the wild. They are now using camera traps in the Yungas forests to search for more Tilcayo tiger cats.
FAQs about Tilcayo Tiger Cat
Where does the Tilcayo tiger cat live?
It is known from the Yungas cloud forests on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Bolivia.
How big is the Tilcayo tiger cat?
It is about 46 centimetres long and weighs around 1.4 kilograms, making it smaller than most domestic cats.
Why was it not identified earlier?
Tiger cats can look very similar to one another, making them difficult to tell apart by appearance alone. Genetic testing helped scientists confirm that the Tilcayo was a separate species.
How many Tilcayo tiger cats are known?
Scientists currently have very limited information about the species. Researchers are using camera traps to find out whether more live in the wild.
What does the Tilcayo tiger cat eat?
Early evidence suggests that small rodents may be part of its diet, although scientists are still studying the species.
Did you know? The Tilcayo tiger cat is the first newly described living cat species in more than 100 years. The discovery also showed that what scientists once considered one group of South American tiger cats actually includes five distinct species.
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