Bolivia Identifies New Tilcayo Wild Cat Species
Saturday, September 26, 2026111 words2 minutes1463 reads
Scientists in Bolivia have identified a new wild cat species. It is called the tilcayo, or Leopardus tilcayo. The small, spotted cat lives in the Yungas cloud forests on the east side of the Andes. One known male weighs about 1.4 kilograms. That is smaller than many house cats.
The tilcayo has a brown coat with dark spots and a long tail. At first, scientists thought it was a known tiger cat. Later, they studied its DNA. They also compared living cats with museum specimens. The results showed that the tilcayo is a separate species. Scientists still need to learn how many tilcayos live in the wild and where they live.
