Scientists discover first new wild cat in more than 100 years

Scientists have identified a new species of wild cat living at a wildlife sanctuary in Bolivia. The tiny, spotted feline had been at the sanctuary for years before genetic analysis revealed it as a distinct species. According to Colombia One, it has been named Leopardus tilcayo.

The discovery was made possible by genetic analyses conducted by researchers, which led to a review of the classification of the so-called tiger cats, a group of small South American felines. This group was previously considered either a single species or a collection of closely related populations.

The new species, Leopardus tilcayo, is the first new living wild cat species identified in more than a century, say France 24 and Colombia One. It was found in the cloud forests of the Yungas in Bolivia. Colombia One reports that genetic analyses determined there are five distinct species within the tiger cat group, including Leopardus tilcayo.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, Colombia One — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.