New Cat Species Discovered in Bolivia After Being Mistaken for a Kitten
A new wild cat species has been identified in Bolivia, marking the first discovery of its kind in over a century. The Leopardus tilcayo, nicknamed the tilcayo tiger cat, was found in the Bolivian Yungas region. The discovery was published in the journal Current Biology.
The tilcayo tiger cat is notably smaller than a typical house cat, featuring rounded ears, a slender build, and spotted fur. While the species has now been formally documented, the exact population size in the wild remains unknown, suggesting there may be significant gaps in scientific understanding of the region’s biodiversity. Researchers believe this discovery could indicate additional undocumented species awaiting identification elsewhere in the world.