Scientists in Bolivia have identified a new species of wild cat with a coat resembling that of a cheetah. This cat, known locally as 'Tilcayo', has been scientifically named Leopardus tilcayo.
Description and Features
Biologist and explorer from National Geographic, Paula Nogales-Ascaron, described this discovery as an amazing event and added that "no new species of wild cat has been described in the last 100 years." The last cat species discovered was the Uruguayan grass cat in 1923.
This cat was found in the Yungas forest of Bolivia, a remote area on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains. The animal measures about 46 centimeters in length and weighs around 1.4 kilograms, making it smaller than domestic cats. Nogales-Ascaron described the cat's appearance, saying: "Its coat is light brown and has irregular patterns on its body."
Discovery and Research
According to Nogales-Ascaron, this cat was first identified by her in 2016 when she received a report about a "strange cat" from a local wildlife sanctuary. She recounted this experience, saying: "I took a hundred photos of it and was very fascinated by it."
A few years later, she realized that this cat was different from any previously seen species. Research on this new species has recently been published in the journal Current Biology. Using genetic analysis and collaboration with geneticist Eduardo Izirik, Nogales-Ascaron and Janas Lescroart from the University of Antwerp were able to classify this cat into a specific category of the cat family.
Nogales-Ascaron added that a pair of Tilcayos have undergone whole genome sequencing, and these are the only individuals that have been identified so far. She emphasized: "So far, this cat has only been identified in Bolivia and has not been seen anywhere else on the planet."
Izirik, an evolutionary biologist, stated that showing the public that even in major groups like cats, there are still new species to be discovered can convey an important message. He also stressed: "Many unknown species exist in the world, and they are at risk of extinction before being discovered."
