Leopardus Tilcayo: Scientists Discover New Species of Wild Cat in Bolivia's Yungas Cloud Forest in 100 Years
Leopardus tilcayo, new wild cat species, new cat species Bolivia, wild cat Bolivia, tilcayo cat, Bolivian wild cat, Yungas cloud forest, new feline species, new mammal species, Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, National Geographic Explorer, Current Biology, wild cat discovery, rare cat species, South America wildlife, Bolivia wildlife discovery
In 100 years, Scientists have identified a new species of wild cat in Bolivia, the first living feline species formally named in more than a century. The small spotted cat, known locally as tilcayo and scientifically as Leopardus tilcayo, was found in the Yungas cloud forest. It measures about 46 cm in length and weighs around 1.4 kg, making it smaller than a typical domestic cat. Its light brown fur features irregular dark rosettes. The discovery began when a wildlife sanctuary received what staff called a “weird cat.” Research led by National Geographic Explorer Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz confirmed it as a distinct species through genetic analysis. The findings were published in the journal Current Biology. What Is the US On-Orbit Space Weapon Just Revealed by the Air Force?.
Scientists Discover New Species of Wil Cat 'Leopardus Tilcayo'
New cat alert! A call from a wildlife sanctuary about a "weird cat" has led to the first new cat species discovered in over 100 years in Bolivia’s Yungas forest ecoregion. Learn more about this feline surprise: https://t.co/crffXvPqH4 pic.twitter.com/USo7rI3Y5q
— National Geographic (@NatGeo) September 17, 2026
(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, fact checks and information from social media world, including Twitter (X), Instagram and Youtube. The above post contains publicly available embedded media, directly from the user's social media account and the views appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY.)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2026 09:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
