Scientists identify Leopardus tilcayo as new wildcat species in Bolivia

Discovery in the Yungas cloud forest

Biologists have identified a new wildcat species in Bolivia, named Leopardus tilcayo or the tilcayo cat, according to research published on 17 September 2026 in the journal Current Biology. The animal lives in the mountainous cloud forests of the Yungas region, located approximately 90 kilometres northeast of La Paz at elevations between 1,500 and 2,000 metres. Measuring roughly 46 centimetres in length and weighing approximately 1.4 kilograms, the tilcayo is smaller than an average domestic cat. The formal classification represents the first description of a newly identified living feline species since researchers described the Uruguayan pampas cat in 1923. Local communities in the region gave the cat its common name, which inspired the scientific designation.

From household pet to scientific inquiry

The scientific identification originated from a ten-year-old male cat named Tigrino, who was kept as a domestic pet for one year before being transferred to the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary around 2017. Sanctuary workers initially classified the male as an oncilla, or Leopardus tigrinus, but biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz observed that the adult animal was unusually small compared to typical oncillas, which can weigh more than 3 kilograms. A second live specimen, a female, was examined after being rescued following an attack in a local village and subsequently released. Nogales-Ascarrunz began investigating physical differences in 2019 while compiling an identification guide for Bolivian wildcats, noting distinct cranial and coat patterns.

Nogales-Ascarrunz recounted her initial encounter with the animal at the wildlife sanctuary:

“I could not believe how small it was. I thought that this must be a young cat, or maybe a kitten.”

Genetic analysis and feline taxonomy

An international research team comprising scientists from Brazil, Belgium, and Bolivia analyzed the complete genomes and genetic material from 38 specimens, including museum collections in Europe and the United States as well as live animals. The genomic sequencing showed that the tilcayo diverged from its closest evolutionary relatives approximately 1.4 million years ago. The study established that the broader group previously regarded as a single tiger cat species actually comprises five distinct species: Leopardus tilcayo, Leopardus guttulus, Leopardus emiliae, Leopardus pardinoides, and Leopardus tigrinus, alongside a newly identified Peruvian subspecies, Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo. Evolutionary biologist Jonas Lescroart from the University of Antwerp pointed out that tiger cats are cryptic species that cannot be easily separated by external appearance alone.

“We never expected this Bolivian tiger cat to be a standalone evolutionary branch.”

Habitat threats and ongoing research

Little is currently documented regarding the population size, social structure, or reproductive patterns of Leopardus tilcayo in the wild. Fecal analysis indicates that small rodents form part of the cat's diet, while preliminary camera trap recordings suggest that the animal is primarily nocturnal. Researchers are now deploying camera traps across the Yungas forests to map geographic distribution and evaluate habitat requirements. The high-humidity ecosystem faces environmental pressure from deforestation and mining activities in western Bolivia. Conservation biologists are urging international bodies to assess the five tiger cat species separately so that targeted protection measures can be established for each lineage.