A phone call to a wildlife sanctuary regarding a “weird cat” has led scientists to a monumental discovery: the first new wild cat species identified in over a century!
Smaller than a standard domestic housecat and adorned with vivid leopard-like spots, the newly recognized species (proposed as Leopardus tilcayo) inhabits the dense, high-elevation Yungas forest ecoregion of Bolivia. Because it has remained hidden for so long, researchers know very little about its daily behavior, diet, or wild population size.
The find is officially redrawing the feline family tree and proving that major mammalian discoveries are still possible in the modern age. Researchers hope the genetic and morphological testing methods used to identify Leopardus tilcayo will help uncover even more elusive wild cat species around the globe.
Read more here!
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