Bolivia Wildcat Becomes First New Feline Species in 100 Years After 1.4 Million-Year DNA Split
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18
Bolivia Wildcat Becomes First New Feline Species in 100 Years After 1.4 Million-Year DNA Split
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18
Summary
Scientists identified the tilcayo — a three-pound spotted wildcat from Bolivia’s Andean cloud forests — as the first newly described feline species since 1923.
DNA analysis published Thursday in Current Biology showed Leopardus tilcayo diverged from its closest tiger-cat relatives about 1.4 million years ago, overturning its earlier classification as an oncilla.
Tigrino, the cat that led researchers to the finding, had lived briefly as a house pet before being taken to Bolivia’s Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary around 2017, where biologist Paola Nogales Ascarrunz noticed its unusually small size.
Little else is known about the species, including its behavior and wild population, leaving the discovery to open a new conservation and research effort in Bolivia.
What happens when a common cat species is suddenly split by DNA, leaving the newly discovered fragments facing immediate extinction?
If a new wild predator hid in plain sight for a century, what other mysterious creatures are quietly vanishing in threatened forests?
Five Tiger Cats, Not One: The 2024 Genomic Breakthrough That Revealed Leopardus tilcayo and a Hidden Conservation Emergency
Overview
The discovery of Leopardus tilcayo began when a Bolivian man found a wild kitten and raised it at home, later surrendering it to a sanctuary. Biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz noticed the cat’s unusual features and, after initial confusion with genetic tests, teamed up with other scientists for a full genomic analysis. This revealed the cat was a new species, diverged from its relatives 1.4 million years ago. Modern genomics split what was thought to be one widespread tiger cat into five distinct, vulnerable species. Now, urgent conservation efforts are underway as habitat loss threatens the newly recognized Leopardus tilcayo.