Leopardus tilcayo: possible new wild cat species in Bolivia

According to reports, the cat is smaller than an average house cat, has a spotted coat, and was distinguished from known species through genetic tests.

Its formal taxonomic status is still unclear, and the size of the wild population is not known.

What happened

Several outlets, including IGN, National Geographic and ABC News, report that researchers in Bolivia have identified a new wild cat species in the Yungas, a forested ecoregion north of La Paz. The Yungas is described in the coverage as the cat’s habitat, but no exact range map or population estimate has been provided.

The animal is being referred to provisionally as Leopardus tilcayo and is also described in coverage as the tilcayo tiger cat. ABC News wrote on 18 September 2026 that it is a cat smaller than an average house cat, with leopard-like spots. In the same framing from National Geographic, it is presented as a new cat species identified for the first time in a century.

The identification appears to be based on genetic research. The information provided says Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz saw the animal while volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Bolivia and then had genetic tests carried out. The available sources do not give details on the method used, the number of samples, or the exact comparison with other species.

One separate incident mentioned in the coverage involves a man from a community near La Paz who initially thought the animal was a house kitten. He reportedly fed it noodles, rice and eggs before later taking it to a rescue center once it became clear it was a wild animal. That detail shows the species has at least been encountered by local residents, but it says nothing about its total range or numbers in the wild.

Background

The available information does not include an estimate of how many animals exist in the wild, nor any official conservation status. That means it is still unclear how rare the species is or how widely it occurs across the Yungas. It is also unknown whether the population is stable, isolated, or split into multiple subpopulations.

The name Leopardus tilcayo also appears to be provisional. The supplied sources describe it as a proposed name, but do not confirm that taxonomic authorities have formally accepted it yet. The reports do say the cat is being presented as a distinct species, but leave open how the formal description has been recorded in the scientific literature.

The claim that this is the first new cat species in more than a century appears in social posts from National Geographic and ABC News. The underlying taxonomic context is not further explained in the supplied information, so it remains unclear whether that wording refers to felids broadly or to a narrower classification within cat species.

The description in the coverage is fairly consistent: smaller than an average house cat, with a spotted coat and a slim build. Those traits are linked to the Yungas region, but the sources provide no exact body measurements, no weight, and no comparison with other South American wild cats.

Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz is clearly identified in the supplied information as the first observer and as the person who arranged the genetic tests. At the same time, the scientific basis in the available sources remains high level. Without a primary publication, it is difficult to judge how strong the genetic separation from known species really is.

The anecdotal story about the animal being mistaken for a kitten and fed noodles, rice and eggs shows that the species came into contact with people near La Paz. Even so, that detail does not confirm how many animals there are, how often they are seen, or how large their habitat is.

Sources

• IGN: "New wild cat species Bolivia"
• National Geographic (@NatGeo) via X
• ABC News (@ABC) via X