"Telkayo"... A New Cat Species in Bolivia

Reuters - Researchers have identified a small wild cat living in the high-elevation forests known as "cloud forests" in Bolivia as a previously unknown species, marking the first time in over a century that a new species of living cat has been formally identified and described.

The cat, known locally as the "tillika," belongs to a group called "jaguatiricas" (or ocelot-like cats) that are widespread across much of South America.

The researchers said they found it in the lush Yungas forest in Bolivia, a mountainous region often shrouded in clouds and characterized by high humidity. The cat measures approximately 46 centimeters in length and weighs about 1.4 kilograms, making it smaller than an average domestic cat.

The researchers used genetic data to confirm that the cat represents a new, previously unknown species, and they assigned it the scientific name *Leopardus tillika*, while retaining its local name.

Paula Nogales Ascarrunz, a National Geographic Explorer and co-author of the study published Thursday in the journal *Current Biology*, said that "remains of small rodents found in fecal samples suggest that these rodents may form part of its diet, while evidence captured by camera traps indicates that it may be more active at night."

Jaguatiricas were previously considered a single species, but genetic studies conducted over the past few decades have indicated the existence of multiple species.