{"id":2143,"date":"2026-09-21T01:07:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T16:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/briefing\/2026-09-21-tilcayo-new-wild-cat-en\/"},"modified":"2026-09-21T01:07:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T16:07:00","slug":"2026-09-21-tilcayo-new-wild-cat-en","status":"publish","type":"briefing","link":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/briefing\/2026-09-21-tilcayo-new-wild-cat-en\/","title":{"rendered":"A tiny cat from Bolivia\u2019s cloud forest has been recognised as a new species"},"content":{"rendered":"

2026-09-21 01:07 KST<\/strong><\/p>\n

The team compared genomes from more than 30 cats across South America and DNA from museum bones and skins. The lineage is estimated to have split about 1.4 million years ago.<\/p>\n

One sanctuary male measured about 46 cm head-to-tail-base and 1.4 kg. One animal is not the species average.<\/p>\n

What \u201cfirst in a century\u201d means<\/h2>\n

It is described as the first entirely new living wild-cat species named since 1923, distinct from reclassifying a known subspecies.<\/p>\n

The name<\/h2>\n

Tilcayo preserves the local community name; discovery language should not erase existing local knowledge.<\/p>\n

\"A
This AI-generated image explains the topic; it is not a photograph of an actual event, observation or field site.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How many remain<\/h2>\n

Population, diet, behaviour and full range are unknown. It is confirmed in Yungas cloud forest, pressured by deforestation and gold mining.<\/p>\n

Next check<\/h2>\n

Camera traps, genetics and habitat surveys must define range and conservation status; naming alone does not protect a population.<\/p>\n

Primary source and independent checks<\/h2>\n

Current Biology \uc6d0 \ub17c\ubb38<\/a><\/p>\n

Associated Press \ub3c5\ub9bd \ud655\uc778<\/a><\/p>\n

\uc2a4\ud398\uc778\uc5b4 \ub3c5\ub9bd \ud655\uc778<\/a><\/p>\n

Read in other languages<\/h2>\n

\ud55c\uad6d\uc5b4<\/a> \u00b7 English<\/a> \u00b7 Espa\u00f1ol<\/a> \u00b7 \u65e5\u672c\u8a9e<\/a> \u00b7 Ti\u1ebfng Vi\u1ec7t<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Researchers described a small spotted wild cat from Bolivia\u2019s Yungas as a separate species, `Leopardus tilcayo`. Local people knew the animal; science has only now recognised its distinct lineage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":[],"class_list":["post-2143","briefing","type-briefing","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/briefing\/2143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/briefing"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/briefing"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}