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A man thought he’d found a stray kitten. It turned out to be a new species of wild cat
The Independent • • world
Key Points:
- Scientists have discovered a new tiger cat species, Leopardus tilcayo, in Bolivia's cloud forest region, marking the first living feline discovery in over a century.
- Genetic analysis revealed that what were once considered a single species of small South American cats, known as tigrillos, actually comprise five distinct species.
- Leopardus tilcayo is smaller than an average housecat, weighing 1.4-2 kg and measuring 45-50 cm in length, with a subspecies, Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo, identified in Peru's Yungas region.
- The discovery has significant conservation implications, as each distinct species faces unique threats such as habitat loss, hunting, disease, and climate change, requiring targeted conservation efforts.
- The study, published in Current Biology, emphasizes the need for focused research on the distribution, genetic diversity, and threats to each species to effectively protect these elusive wild cats.
