New Bolivian Cloud-Forest Cat Declared a Distinct Species: Leopardus tilcayo

Scientists have named a new wild cat from Bolivia’s Yungas cloud forests, Leopardus tilcayo—the first new living feline species described in over a century. Genetic analysis splits tiger cats into five distinct species, with tilcayo being a small (about 46 cm/1.4 kg) cat with light brown fur and rosettes; two live individuals were examined, including a 10-year-old male at the Senda Verde sanctuary. Ecology remains poorly known, but the diet likely includes small rodents and the cat may be nocturnal. The IUCN will reassess status after the five lineages are treated separately, and habitat loss in the Yungas underscores the need for forest protection to prevent potential endangerment.