New tiger cat species identified in Bolivia, first in over a century

Leopardus tilcayo is the first new living cat species named and described in more than a century.Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026A tiny wild cat that lives in Bolivia’s lush cloud forests has been identified as a previously unknown species, marking the first time in more than a century that a new living feline species has been formally named and described.Called “tilcayo” by local communities, the cat is part of a group called tiger cats, which are found across much of South America.Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2Trump administration moves to end rule protecting swaths of forest landlist 2 of 2Singapore’s plans to clear forest for homes lead to rare public protestsend of listIt was discovered in the Yungas forest, a mountainous region where forests are often covered by clouds and surrounded by high humidity, according to the researchers.Given the scientific name Leopardus tilcayo, the cat measures 46cm (18 inches) long and weighs about 1.4kg (3 pounds), making it smaller than an average domestic cat.“Its fur is light brown … with irregularly shaped rosettes across its body,” according to Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a National Geographic Explorer and one of the author...