The tiny wildcat that turned out to be a whole new species

In a remarkable discovery for cat enthusiasts, a tiny spotted wildcat from Bolivia has been officially recognized as a new species. Leopardus tilcayo, a member of the South American tiger-cat group, has been described as the first new living cat species to be identified in over a century. The unique feline, smaller than an average domestic cat, was first observed in 2016 when a wildlife sanctuary in Bolivia received reports of a "weird cat" brought to them by a local man who initially thought it was a domestic pet.

After careful examination and genetic testing, researchers from Senda Verde wildlife sanctuary confirmed that the animal was indeed a distinct species. Scientists compared the tilcayo's genome with those of 37 other cats in the Leopardus group and found significant genetic differences, indicating that its lineage separated from its relatives approximately 1.4 million years ago.

This evolutionary separation provides the necessary time frame for the researchers to classify the tilcayo as a separate species. The scientific name tilcayo was chosen in honor of the local name for the animal used by communities in Bolivia. Despite its newly minted status, much remains unknown about the tilcayo's habits, including its nocturnal nature and diet of small rodents.

Researchers are currently employing camera traps and conducting further fieldwork in the Bolivian Yungas region to gather more information about the species' distribution, population, and behavior. Until then, cat lovers can appreciate the quiet existence of this tiny spotted feline in the Bolivian cloud forest, while scientists take a more measured approach to uncovering the secrets of this recently discovered member of the wildcat family.