New Cat Species Discovered in Bolivia After Being Mistaken for a Kitten
A new species of small, spotted wild cat -- leopardus tilcayo or the tilcayo tiger cat -- was discovered in Bolivia where it been mistaken by the man who took it in as a kitten.
In a discovery that has been over a century in the making, a new species of cat has emerged from the Bolivian Yungas. According to the journal Current Biology, the leopardus tilcayo, also known as the tilcayo tiger cat, has been identified after being mistaken for a domestic kitten. The cat, smaller than an average house cat and covered in leopard-like spots, was first brought to a wildlife rehabilitation center in Bolivia, where it was initially thought to be a known species.
However, genetic testing revealed that it was a distinct species altogether. Local people in Bolivia have been aware of the cat's existence for years, with the indigenous communities giving it the name tilcayo, though they do not know its meaning in their languages. The new species' survival is currently at risk due to the habitat's vulnerability to development and agriculture.
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