Identified in Bolivia’s Yungas forest and scientifically named Leopardus tilcayo, a new species of wild cat weighing just three pounds has been confirmed through genetic analysis. Published on September 17, 2026, this discovery marks the first time in over a century that a new living cat species has been formally described.
A small wild cat found in Bolivia’s Yungas cloud forest has been formally identified as a species new to science. Measuring about 46 centimeters, or 18 inches, in length and weighing around 1.4 kilograms, or 3 pounds, the animal is smaller than a regular house cat. It belongs to the tiger cat group, a collection of small wild cats found across South America, and has been scientifically named Leopardus tilcayo.
From a Mistaken Pet to a Zoological Discovery
The discovery began back in 2016. A local man found the animal as a kitten near a forest road in the Yungas ecoregion on the eastern slope of the Andes, initially believing it was a domestic cat. The family kept it for more than a year, feeding it eggs and pasta. But the animal began exhibiting predatory behavior, hunting chickens and emitting unusual vocalizations that no ordinary house cat could produce. Realizing it was wild, the family handed the animal over to the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary.
Bolivian biologist and National Geographic Explorer Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz examined the animal at the refuge. At the time, she believed it belonged to the known tiger cat species Leopardus tigrinus. However, while preparing an illustrated guide of Bolivian felines in 2019, she compared her photographs with reference images from Brazil and noticed significant discrepancies. Nogales-Ascarrunz added that this made them wonder what tiger cat they actually had in Bolivia. Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, National Geographic Explorer, via CNBC-TV18
Genetic Analysis Rewrites Tiger Cat Classification
To determine the animal’s true identity, researchers analyzed DNA extracted from 38 cats across the genus Leopardus, which included eight museum specimens from several South American countries. The findings, published in the scientific journal Current Biology, showed that tiger cats are not a single species but five genetically distinct species.
The genetic data confirmed that the Bolivian specimen represents a separate evolutionary lineage. According to the study of the genome, the tilcayo lineage diverged from other tiger cats approximately 1.4 million years ago.
A Century-Old Milestone in Felid Taxonomy
The formal description of Leopardus tilcayo marks a significant milestone for zoology. The previous formal description of a new living cat species dates back to 1923 with the pampas cat named by naturalists. Other recent taxonomic updates—such as the separation of the southern tigrina in 2013 or the elevation of the clouded tiger cat in 2024—involved the reclassification of already-known sub-species rather than the description of a newly recognized independent living lineage.
While the animal was new to science, it was already known to residents of the Yungas, who had referred to it as “tilcayo” for generations. Researchers chose to honor that local knowledge by adopting the name for the scientific classification.
Habitat Pressures and Conservation Status
Basic data regarding its exact population size, full diet, reproduction, and natural predators remain largely unknown, though remains found in scat indicate it eats small rodents.
This knowledge gap brings immediate conservation concerns. The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently assesses tiger cats as vulnerable species with declining populations. By splitting the group into five separate lineages, conservationists warn that individual groups may face higher risks than previously understood, with L. tilcayo potentially classified as endangered on its own. The Yungas forest habitat faces mounting pressures from deforestation, agricultural expansion, human-caused fires, and mining.