Scientists have discovered something that sounds almost impossible: a wild cat that had already been living among humans before researchers realised it belonged to a species unknown to science.
They have identified a new tiger-cat species in Bolivia, marking the first discovery of a new cat species in more than 100 years, according to National Geographic and a study published in Current Biology. The proposed scientific name is Leopardus tilcayo.
The unusual cat was first encountered in 2016 after a Bolivian wildlife sanctuary received what was described as a weird cat. A local man had found it as a kitten and initially believed it was a domestic cat before eventually taking it to the sanctuary.
Researchers were struck by its small size, unusual facial features and leopard-like spots. The animal is approximately 18 inches long from head to body and weighs about three pounds, making it smaller than the average domestic cat.
Scientists initially believed the animal was a member of the previously known tiger-cat species Leopardus tigrinus. However, further genetic research revealed that it was genetically distinct and had separated from other tiger cats roughly 1.4 million years ago.
The newly identified species is known to occur in Bolivia’s Yungas forest ecoregion, although scientists still know little about its population, diet, reproduction and behaviour in the wild.
The discovery is also changing scientists’ understanding of small wild cats, with researchers suggesting that advanced genetic analysis could reveal more previously unrecognised species.
