A three-pound wildcat named Tigrino from Bolivia has become the standard-bearer for the first new feline species discovered in over a century. The species, called tilcayo (Leopardus tilcayo), is smaller than a house cat and lives in the cloud forests of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia. Dr. Paola Nogales Ascarrunz first encountered Tigrino nearly a decade ago at the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary, where he had been kept as a house pet before being brought around 2017. Initially thought to be an oncilla, Tigrino's smaller size and larger spots raised questions.

DNA analysis revealed the species split from its closest relatives 1.4 million years ago. The study, published in Current Biology, involved collaboration between Dr. Nogales Ascarrunz, Dr. Eduardo Eizirik, and Dr. Jonas Lescroart, who combined data sets to identify five distinct tiger cat species. The tilcayo is the first brand-new feline species added to the cat family tree since the pampas cat was described in 1923.

Little else is known about the new species, including its behavior and wild population numbers.