New cat species discovered in Bolivia

Researchers have formally identified a new wild cat species, locally known as the Tilcayo, in Bolivia's Yungas cloud forest - the first newly described living cat species in more than a century. Part of the tiger cat group found across South America, the Tilcayo measures about 18 inches long and weighs roughly three pounds, making it smaller than an average house cat. Genetic analysis confirmed it as a distinct species, which researchers named Leopardus tilcayo, retaining its local name.

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As it ran

18 September 2026

• New wild cat species discovered - with only one known living member BBC News

17 September 2026

• New cat species identified in Bolivia, first in over a century South China Morning Post
• Meet the tiny wild cat that’s new to science CNN