A new species of wild cat has been discovered in Bolivia for the first time in more than a century

A miniature wild cat that lives in a cloudy forest in Bolivia has been identified as a previously unknown species. This is the first new living cat species in more than a century.

According to Reuters, this cat, which locals call tilkayo, belongs to the group of tiger cats that live in most of South America. According to the researchers, it was found in a mountainous region in Bolivia’s Yungas Forest, where forests are often covered in clouds and surrounded by high humidity. The length of the animal is about 46 cm, and the weight is about 1.4 kg. This cat is smaller than the average domestic cat.

The researchers used genetic data to confirm that this cat is a new species and gave it the scientific name Leopardus tilcayo, while retaining the local name.

Little is known about the nature and lifestyle of this cat. Remains of small rodents in excrement samples suggest that they may be part of her diet, and data from camera traps indicate that she may be more active at night.

Tiger cats belong to the so-called cryptic species, that is, they are difficult to distinguish only in appearance, said evolutionary biologist and study co-author Jonas Lescroart from the University of Antwerp in Belgium.