New cat species discovered in Bolivia after over a century
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Biologists in Bolivia recently identified a new cat species, Leopardus tilcayo, marking the first new cat species described in over 100 years.
The discovery began in 2016 when biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz received reports of an unusual cat at the Senda Verde wildlife sanctuary. Locals had mistaken the animal for a domestic cat, but its markings and size didn’t match known species.
Nogales-Ascarrunz initially suspected it was a type of tigrina, a small American wildcat, but further examination of photographs revealed larger markings. Genetic analysis confirmed that Leopardus tilcayo separated from other tigrina cats around 1.4 million years ago. The cat measures 46 centimeters long and weighs about 1.4 kilograms, with a light brown coat covered in irregular rosettes.
Researchers examined the genomes of 38 cats from the Leopardus genus, and unexpectedly found five distinct species, also describing a new subspecies in Peru. Identifying this new species allows scientists to better assess its conservation status, as populations like tilcayo have already experienced significant declines, with some lineages decreasing by 60% or more, due to habitat loss from deforestation, agriculture, fires, and mining.
