A new cat species has been discovered in Bolivia, the first such discovery in more than a century. The feline, called Tilcayo by locals, was confirmed as a new species through DNA testing.
Tilcayo is among what are called tiger cats that roam wild in Bolivia. This one was discovered in Bolivia’s lush Yungas forest. She is about 18 inches long and weighs about 3 pounds, making her smaller than your average domestic cat.
Scientists have given her a new species designation, Leopardus tilcayo, retaining the name locals use to call her. All in all, according to scientists, there are at least five species of tiger cats. The species, and Tilcayo’s discovery, were featured in yesterday’s edition of Current Biology.
“Its fur is light brown … with irregularly shaped rosettes across its body,” said Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a National Geographic explorer and one of the authors of the study.
