Rare New Cat Species Found in Bolivia’s Forests After a Century

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Scientists have identified a new feline species, Leopardus tilcayo, in Bolivia's Yungas forests after DNA analysis revealed that a rescued cat once mistaken for a pet was genetically distinct. The discovery, based on a 2016 encounter, represents the first new felid species found in over a century and challenges previous assumptions about tiger cat evolution. The finding also has significant conservation implications by showing that some widespread species may actually consist of multiple rarer, more vulnerable populations.