A new species of wild cat, Leopardus tilcayo, has been confirmed in the forests of Bolivia. The small feline, similar in size to a domestic cat, had previously gone undetected due to its resemblance to other spotted and striped wild cats.
DNA studies revealed the cat to be a distinct species. Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz of Universidad Mayor de San Andres in La Paz, Bolivia, noted the significance of discovering a new species without needing to explore extreme environments.
The discovery began with a 10-year-old cat, nicknamed 'Tigrino', living in a Bolivian rescue sanctuary. Dr. Nogales-Ascarrunz observed its unusual appearance, leading to a collaborative investigation with researchers globally, using DNA from living animals and museum specimens.
The study, published in Current Biology, also suggests there are now five, rather than three, tiger cat species, including the newly described Tilcaya cat. This brings the official number of recognised cat species to 44 or more.
Dr. Caroline Sartor of the University of Oxford highlighted the importance of this discovery for conservation, as protecting a species requires knowing its identity and habitat. Tiger cat species are considered vulnerable to extinction due to deforestation, habitat loss, and illegal hunting.