Scientists Identify First New Wild Cat Species in a Century

A wild cat hiding in plain sight in Bolivia just rewrote the field guide, NBC News reports. Scientists say they've confirmed a new species, Leopardus tilcayo, a tiny, spotted tiger cat living in the Bolivian Yungas cloud forest. Smaller than a house cat, it was first flagged when a man brought what he thought was a kitten to a wildlife sanctuary near La Paz—after feeding it noodles, eggs, and rice.

Genetic tests by biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz showed the animal, and a second like it, had split from other tiger cats about 1.4 million years ago, enough to qualify as a distinct species—the first new species of wild cat identified in a century. Local communities had long called the animal "tilcayo," a name researchers kept. How many exist remains unknown, but scientists warn its fast-disappearing habitat likely puts the newly named cat at risk. National Geographic has pictures; Gizmodo says "it's love at first sight" for the tiny creatures, who weigh between 4-6 pounds and measure between 1-2 feet long.