New wild cat species identified in Bolivia, first in over 100 years

A team of zoologists announced the identification of a previously unknown wild cat species, marking the first discovery of a new felid in more than a century. The animal, found in the dense montane forests of the Western Ghats in India, was captured on motion‑activated cameras and later confirmed through genetic sequencing as distinct from all known members of the genus *Felis*. Researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India and the University of Cambridge described the species, tentatively named *Felis mystica*, in a paper published in *Nature Ecology & Evolution*.

The discovery expands the known diversity of small wild cats and provides fresh insight into the region’s biodiversity, which has been under pressure from habitat loss and fragmentation. DNA analysis revealed that *F. mystica* diverged from its closest relatives roughly 1.2 million years ago, suggesting a long, isolated evolutionary history. Conservationists emphasize that the species’ limited range and the ongoing threats to its forest habitat warrant immediate assessment for protection status under the IUCN Red List. The finding underscores the importance of continued field surveys and advanced molecular techniques in uncovering hidden wildlife.