All articles tagged with #tilcayo
DNA analysis confirms a new small wild cat from Bolivia, Leopardus tilcayo (Tilcaya cat); with only one living member known in a wildlife sanctuary, researchers believe more individuals exist and that five tiger-cat species may exist, underscoring biodiversity gaps and the need to conserve South American forests.
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.