# Little big cat is the first new feline species found in a century > Tiny Tilcayo cat spotted in Bolivian cloud forest. - Title: Little big cat is the first new feline species found in a… - Summary: Tiny Tilcayo cat spotted in Bolivian cloud forest. Scientists identified a new feline species, the tilcayo, in Bolivia's cloud forests, marking the first new… - Keywords: tilcayo, bolivia, yungas forest, leopardus tilcayo, tiger cats, cloud forest, new species, genetic analysis, current biology, conservation, news, entertainment - Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16140795/New-species-cat-spotted-time-century-Tilcayo-cat-Bolivia-seen-prowling-cloud-forest.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss - Published: 2026-09-18T00:31:10+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: tilcayo, bolivia, yungas forest, leopardus tilcayo, tiger cats, cloud forest, new species, genetic analysis, current biology, conservation, news, entertainment ## New feline species discovered A tiny wild cat living in Bolivia's cloud forests has been identified as a new species in a remarkable discovery. ## Tilcayo measures 18 inches The feline, known as the tilcayo by local communities, measures just 18 inches (46cm) long and weighs around 3lb (1.4kg), making it smaller than the average domestic cat. ## Found in Yungas forest It was found in Bolivia's lush Yungas forest, a mountainous region of humid forests that are often shrouded in clouds. ## Genetic analysis confirms species Researchers used genetic analysis to confirm the animal was a previously unknown species and named it Leopardus tilcayo, retaining its local name. ## First new feline species in a century The discovery marks the first time a new living feline species has been formally named and described in more than a century. ## Tilcayo belongs to tiger cats The tilcayo belongs to a group of small South American felines known as tiger cats, which are found across much of the continent. ## Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz comments Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a National Geographic explorer and one of the authors of the study published in Current Biology on Thursday, said: 'Its fur is light brown … with irregularly shaped rosettes across its body.' > Its fur is light brown … with irregularly shaped rosettes across its body. ## Scientists know little about tilcayo Scientists still know relatively little about how the elusive cat lives. ## Small rodent remains in scat Small rodent remains discovered in scat samples suggest they could form part of its diet, while camera traps indicate the animal may be more active at night. ## Tiger cats are cryptic species Tiger cats are considered 'cryptic species', meaning different species can be extremely difficult to distinguish based on their appearance alone. ## Tiger cats were once one species They were once thought to comprise a single species, but genetic research later suggested there were several distinct groups. ## Jonas Lescroart explains Study co-lead author Jonas Lescroart, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Antwerp in Belgium, said researchers currently have information from just two living tilcayos and a small number of camera-trap sightings. ## One tilcayo at sanctuary One of the animals studied is a ten-year-old male now living at the Senda Verde wildlife sanctuary in Bolivia after previously being kept in the home of a local family. ## Features differ from tiger cats Scientists became intrigued because the animal's features did not match existing descriptions of tiger cats, which were largely based on animals from Brazil. ## DNA analysis of 38 cats The researchers analysed DNA from 38 cats collected across several South American countries, including eight museum specimens. ## Tiger cats comprise five species Their findings suggest tiger cats actually comprise five genetically distinct species. ## Tilcayo lineage split 1.4m years ago Genetic analysis indicated that the tilcayo's lineage split from other tiger cats around 1.4million years ago. ## New tiger cat subspecies in Peru The researchers also identified a new tiger cat subspecies in Peru's Yungas region, which they named Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo after Antisuyu, the region of the Inca empire that once included its habitat. ## Tiger cats vulnerable species The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently treats tiger cats as two vulnerable species with declining populations. ## Scientists share findings with IUCN Researchers have now shared their findings with the IUCN, which is expected to consider the five lineages separately in its next review. ## Key takeaway Scientists identified a new feline species, the tilcayo, in Bolivia's cloud forests, marking the first new living feline species discovered in over a century.