Jakarta, ThedailyID — Scientists have officially recognized a small spotted cat from Bolivia’s Yungas mountains as a new species.
Named Leopardus tilcayo, the cat is smaller than a domestic cat. It has a slender body and spotted patterns that resemble those of a leopard.
Local communities have long known the animal as tilcayo, or “weird cat.” However, scientists only recently confirmed that it represents a distinct species.
The discovery was reported by National Geographic on Thursday, September 17, 2026. It is described as the first new cat species recognized in about a century.
The research began in 2016 when biologist and National Geographic Explorer Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz received a report about a strange cat brought to a wildlife sanctuary.
Nogales-Ascarrunz initially believed the animal belonged to Leopardus tigrinus, a group commonly known as tiger cats. However, several years later, she noticed differences that raised questions about its identity.
In 2019, Nogales-Ascarrunz was preparing a guide to Bolivia’s cat species when she noticed that the animal’s rosette patterns did not match references for tiger cats from Brazil.
She and her team then began investigating the animal more closely. Their analysis eventually included genomic data from 38 individuals.
The results showed that the Bolivian cats had their own genetic lineage. The researchers also estimated that the lineage evolved separately from related cats around 1.4 million years ago.
The findings were later published in the international scientific journal Current Biology.
Despite the discovery, scientists still do not know how many Leopardus tilcayo remain in the wild. Further research will be needed to understand its population and determine how best to protect the species.
The discovery also highlights the biodiversity that remains poorly understood in mountainous ecosystems such as Bolivia’s Yungas.
