Tilcayo: the new miniature jaguar of the Bolivian Yungas

A team led by Brazilian researchers has just described a new feline species in the mountainous forests of Bolivia. The animal, known locally as tilcayo, received the scientific name Leopardus tilcayo and marks the first discovery of a wild cat in over a century.

What is the tilcayo and where does it live

The tilcayo is a small wild cat measuring about 45 cm in length, with a 25 cm tail. Its habitat is the Bolivian Yungas, a humid transition zone between the Amazon and the Andes, where altitudes range from 400 to 3,500 m. This little-studied region features deep valleys and steep slopes that make observing the species difficult.

How the species was identified

Researchers combined genome sequencing from living felines and specimens preserved in museums. Thirty-eight genomes from cats of the genus Leopardus were analyzed, including 26 belonging to the species complex that includes L. guttulus, L. tigrinus, and L. emiliae. Genomic comparison revealed that the tilcayo separated from the lineage of other wild cats approximately 1.5 million years ago.

Importance of the discovery for conservation

Identifying the tilcayo as a distinct species highlights the scarcity of knowledge about the biodiversity of the Yungas. Each species has specific ecological needs, and taxonomic recognition facilitates the development of protection strategies. The study also reinforces that, even among well-known felines, cryptic populations may still exist and remain unknown.

Challenges the species faces

The tilcayo is extremely elusive, nocturnal, and lives under human pressure, including hunting, road construction, and mining. Furthermore, it competes for food with larger felines, such as ocelots and pumas, and can be preyed upon by them. So far, only two individuals have been captured for research; one was returned to the wild, and the other, a male named Tigrino, is in a wildlife sanctuary in La Paz.

What genetics revealed about the evolution of South American felines

Genomic analysis demonstrated that DNA differences among small wild cats are as significant as those found between wolves and coyotes or between grizzly and polar bears. This discovery reinforces the need to review classifications based solely on morphological characteristics and highlights the role of museomics—the application of modern techniques to museum specimens—for studying rare or extinct species.

With information from O GLOBO, Folha de S.Paulo, Correio do Povo.