New wild cat species discovered - with only one known living member

"There's truthful fewer records oregon pictures, nary idiosyncratic successful a museum, truthful it was hiding due to the fact that cipher was looking," said Eduardo Eizirik, a conservation geneticist astatine the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande bash Sul successful Brazil. Bolivian idiosyncratic Dr Nogales-Ascarrunz was volunteering astatine the sanctuary erstwhile she noticed the feline looked unusual. It had been recovered successful the wood by a section resident, who initially thought it was a home kitten. As it grew older, however, it became wide that it did not behave similar a location cat. It was this 10-year-old cat, nicknamed 'Tigrino', that acceptable scientists connected the way to discovery. Only 1 confirmed subordinate of the taxon is known - a feline surviving successful a rescue sanctuary successful Bolivia - but scientists judge others exist. Dr Nogales-Ascarrunz had heard of different sightings of tiny chaotic cats successful the dense forests of the country's Yungas region, but these had not been investigated by scientists. To lick the mystery, she joined forces with different researchers from astir the satellite to analyse the household past of tiger cats, utilizing DNA from surviving animals and depository specimens. The study, published successful Current Biology, external, uncovered further surprises, suggesting determination are 5 alternatively than 3 tiger feline species, including the recently described Tilcaya feline (Leopardus tilcayo) of Bolivia.