Scientists identify Leopardus tilcayo in Bolivia, first new cat species in over a century

Discovery in the Yungas cloud forest

Biologists have formally described a new species of wild cat inhabiting the cloud forests of Bolivia, publishing their findings on 17 September 2026 in the journal Current Biology. Named Leopardus tilcayo, the feline represents the first living cat species formally described by science since the classification of the Uruguayan pampas cat (Leopardus fasciatus) in 1923. The animal lives in the Yungas, a humid montane forest region located at the transition zone between the Andes mountains and the Amazon basin. Weighing roughly 1.3 to 1.4 kilograms and measuring approximately 46 centimeters in body length with a 25-centimeter tail, the species is smaller than an average domestic house cat. Indigenous and local communities in the Yungas have known the feline for generations, referring to it as Tilcayo, a name researchers retained for the formal specific epithet.

From household pet to type specimen

The path to classification began after a resident in a forested village near La Paz found a stray kitten along a road. Assuming the animal was an abandoned domestic kitten, the man brought it home and kept it for approximately one year, providing a diet of noodles, rice, and eggs. After realizing the animal was a wild predator that could not be maintained as a domestic pet, he delivered it to the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary. Biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a National Geographic Explorer and coordinator of a Bolivian wild cat conservation program, first inspected the animal at the refuge in 2016. The male cat, nicknamed Tigrino and now ten years old, served as the primary type specimen for the taxonomic description.

Our world is extremely complex. Sometimes we think that most of it is known, that there's not a whole lot to discover, but in fact, it's the other way around.

Genetic analysis of cryptic tiger cats

Tiger cats belong to the genus Leopardus and are cryptic species whose external appearances closely resemble one another, confounding visual identification in the field. Initial assessments by sanctuary staff suggested the cat belonged to Leopardus tigrinus, a species described in the late 18th century based primarily on Brazilian populations. However, Nogales-Ascarrunz noted physical discrepancies, including larger dark rosettes, shorter rounded ears, and distinctive tail markings. To resolve the classification, an international team led by Jonas Lescroart of the University of Antwerp analysed DNA from 38 cats across South America, including eight museum specimens. The genetic data demonstrated that South American tiger cats comprise five separate species, with Leopardus tilcayo having diverged from related lineages approximately 1.4 million years ago.

Field observations and conservation status

Scientific knowledge regarding the lifestyle and wild abundance of Leopardus tilcayo remains preliminary. Examination of scat samples collected in the Yungas revealed small rodent remains, while camera-trap footage indicates the feline is primarily nocturnal. The formal species description rests on only two live individuals (the captive male Tigrino and a second specimen captured and photographed in the wild) alongside camera detections. Tiger cat populations across Central and South America face mounting pressures from agricultural clearing, road infrastructure, and deforestation. Researchers noted that targeted field surveys are needed to determine the geographic range and total population size required for formal IUCN Red List evaluations.

Our information at this moment is limited to the two live individuals that we examined, and a small number of camera-trap records.