In Bolivia, a new species of wild cat has been described — the first in more than a century

In the cloud forests of the Bolivian yungas, scientists have for the first time in more than a hundred years officially described a new species of wild cat — Leopardus tilcayo. The miniature predator, weighing about a kilogram and a half and with a body length of just under half a metre, looks like a scaled-down copy of a leopard: its light-brown fur is covered with dark rosettes. Local residents have long called it "tilcayo", but only now has genetic analysis confirmed that it is a separate species, and not one of the forms of the already known tiger cats.

A study published in the journal Current Biology has shown that the so-called tiger cats of South America actually represent five genetically distinct species. The tilcayo lineage split off from the others about 1,4 million years ago. Until now, little has been known about the biology of the new species: remains of small rodents are found in its scat, and camera traps record predominantly nocturnal activity. One of the living specimens — a ten-year-old male — lives at the Senda Verde sanctuary after being taken from a local family.

The discovery took place in the yungas region — mountain cloud forests with high humidity, where the forests are often shrouded in mist. These ecosystems have long been under pressure from logging, agricultural expansion, fires and mining. According to the researchers' estimates, many species here may disappear before they can be described. DNA analysis of 38 individuals from several countries helped not only to identify the new species, but also to describe a subspecies in the Peruvian yungas.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature still treats tiger cats as two vulnerable groups with declining numbers. After the status of individual lineages is revised, the tilcayo may receive a higher threat level. Scientists emphasise that even in such a well-studied group of mammals as the felids, undescribed species remain, and their conservation depends directly on protecting entire ecosystems.

Preserving forest fragments, restoring burnt areas and maintaining habitat connectivity — these are the concrete steps that could give the new species a chance of survival. Every such discovery is a reminder that nature still keeps secrets, but there is less and less time left to unravel them.