{
  "id": 8475377,
  "title": "Meet Earth's newest wild cat species, the first named in over a century",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/meet-earths-newest-wild-cat-species-the-first-named-in-over-a-century",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-19T14:20:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-earth-wild-cat-species-century.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A previously unidentified species of cat has been discovered in Bolivia, marking the first new living wild cat species to be named in over a century. The small, spotted feline, measuring 18 inches in length and weighing just 3 pounds, was living in plain sight at a wildlife sanctuary when it was noticed by a biologist. Researchers compared the genomes of over 30 cats from various locations to determine that the sanctuary cat belonged to a species that split from its relatives about 1.4 million years ago. The new species, named Leopardus tilcayo, was given this name to honor communities in Bolivia's tropical cloud forests. Despite local knowledge of the cat's existence, it had never been formally recognized by science. The discovery provides insight into the hidden diversity within the cat family and highlights the need for conservation efforts to protect the species' habitat from threats such as deforestation and mining.",
  "summary": "A previously unknown cat species has been identified in plain sight: at a wildlife sanctuary in Bolivia, where the small, spotted feline had been living for years.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Meet Earth’s newest wild cat species, the first named in over a century",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/meet-earths-newest-wild-cat-species-the-first-named-in-over-a-century",
        "published": "2026-09-18T18:30:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour Science",
        "title": "Meet Earth's newest wild cat species, living in Bolivia and the first named in over a century",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/meet-earths-newest-wild-cat-species-living-in-bolivia-and-the-first",
        "published": "2026-09-18T22:45:09.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}