First new feline species in 100 years discovered in Bolivian forest

The "kitten" with leopard-like spots was initially kept as a family pet.

A new "tiger cat" species has been discovered in Bolivia, according to researchers in Current Biology, the first living feline species identified by scientists in over a century.

The small wild cat, officially known as Leopardus tilcayo (locally known as the tilcayo cat) is native to Bolivia's Yungas cloud forest, weighing no more than 3 pounds and approximately 18 inches long, making it smaller than the typical house cat.

For a year, a "kitten" with leopard-like spots was kept as a pet by a local family, but was later brought to the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary after they recognized it to be a wild animal.

"The first time I saw it, it was really, really small and skinny and I couldn't believe like how small it was", Paola Nogales Ascarrunz, a National Geographic Explorer and the co-author of the study, told ABC News.

Compared to other "tiger cats", the tilcayo cat has a small scrunched-up face, small and round ears, with long whiskers. Nogales Ascarrunz found that this did not match any reference photos of known "tiger cats."

The elusive "tiger cats" were previously thought to be one large species, and were frequently misclassified as other similar-looking cats such as the oncillas or margays.

Due to advancements in genetic testing, Nogales Ascarrunz and her research team were able to compare the genetic composition of the animal to other similar cats, instead of relying on traditional methods of sorting by appearance.

By comparing the whole genetic code of the cat at the sanctuary and other similar specimens in museums, researchers were able to identify the new species and another new subspecies within "tiger cats" as well.

Scientists believe the tilcayo cat likely evolved from a common ancestor of "tiger cats" around 1.4 million years ago. The genetic studies also helped construct an evolutionary tree, better understanding how these wild cats are related to one another.

Not much is known about the extent of the cat's environment or its behavior. The 10-year-old male at the sanctuary is the only known tilcayo cat in captivity, but others are believed to have been photographed by camera traps placed in the cloud forests.

The new classification of "tiger cats" has scientists concerned about conservation efforts of the tilcayo cat and other cats like it. By splitting the larger group of "tiger cats" into smaller species, some of these species are now considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

"Currently, this ecosystem is threatened by deforestation, especially with wildfires. When they are not controlled ... they start destroying this ecosystem", explains Nogales Ascarrunz.

With the media attention worldwide and locally in Bolivia surrounding the discovery, Nogales Ascarrunz said she finds the attention promising to conservation efforts. She is also seeing the interest shift from larger "majestic" cats to the smaller more elusive felines.