Bolivia: New cat species discovered by scientists

Scientists in Bolivia have identified a small wild cat with a leopard-like coat as a previously unknown species. Local communities call the feline "tilcayo," a nickname that inspired the cat's new scientific designation: Leopardus tilcayo . Biologist and National Geographic explorer Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz described the discovery as a "remarkable event, because a new wild cat species hasn't been described in 100 years." The last feline species to be discovered was the Uruguayan pampas cat in 1923. The cat was found in Bolivia's Yungas forest, a remote region on the eastern slope of the Andes mountains. The animal measures around 18 inches (46 centimeters) long and weighs around 3 pounds (1.