New wild cat species discovered in Bolivia after a decade
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Scientists in Bolivia discovered a new species of wild cat after a local resident brought the animal to a rescue shelter ten years ago, mistakenly believing it was a domestic cat.
Researchers published their findings in Current Biology on September 17, marking the first new wild cat species identified in one hundred years. The cat, named ‘Tilkayo’ by locals, lives in the Yungas cloud forest where the Andes Mountains meet the Amazon basin.
Tilkayo resembles the tiger cat, a small spotted wild cat found throughout Central and South America, but genetic studies confirmed it is a distinct species. Experts believe this discovery demonstrates that many mammal species remain unknown to science. Currently, only one Tilkayo lives at the rescue shelter, but researchers suspect other individuals exist in the wild.
Shelter staff initially thought the cat was a tiger cat, but discrepancies in its markings and tail led them to conduct genetic analysis that revealed its unique status.
