New Wild Cat Species Identified in Bolivia, First in Over a Century
Researchers describe a small cloud-forest cat known locally as 'Tilcayo' as a new species belonging to South America's tiger cat group.
A small wild cat living in Bolivia's cloud forests has been formally identified as a new species, according to researchers, marking the first time a living cat species has been newly named and described in more than 100 years.
The cat, known to local communities as Tilcayo, belongs to a group referred to as tiger cats, which are found across much of South America. It was discovered in Bolivia's Yungas forest, a mountainous region characterized by cloud cover and high humidity, researchers said.
According to the source report, the animal measures about 18 inches (46 centimeters) in length and weighs roughly 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms), making it smaller than the average domestic cat.
The identification of the Tilcayo as a distinct species adds to the known diversity of wild cats in South America and represents a notable development in feline taxonomy, given how rare it is for a new living cat species to be described.
Sources
- New cat species identified in Bolivia for first time in more than a century — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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