Bolivian Tilcayo Leopard Is The First New Species Of Cat To Be Found In Over A Century

Scientists have found a new species of wild cat for the first time in more than a century. While some species are named after scientists or explorers, researchers named this one Leopardus tilcayo. Bolivia's tilcayo cat rests under the light rain of Yungas region, where he lives inside a wildlife refuge. Juan Pablo Heredia, the Coordinator of Wildlife Keepers at Senda Verde, states that although he is a small cat, he possesses a very strong personality."He’s incredibly temperamental and gets angry out of nowhere—sort of like those tiny dogs. You know how the smaller the dog, the more likely it is to stand its ground? I think he has a strong personality."Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge received the cat almost a decade ago, and had never presented the feline to the public until the announcement of the new species, Leopardus tilcayo."If we don’t know what is out there, we can’t protect it. So, I think this discovery is somewhat surprising, finding a feline species that hadn’t been discovered anywhere in the world for a hundred years," Heredia said. A tiny wild cat has sparked a huge reaction, with everyone talking about it. "It has sparked such a huge reaction, with everyone talking about it. And the best part—what you see on social media—is the memes people have created around the case, all while taking pride in the fact that it’s a Bolivian cat," he added.