India, Sept. 18 -- A scientific mystery that began with a rescued kitten at a Bolivian wildlife sanctuary has culminated in the formal identification of the first new wild cat species discovered on the planet in more than one hundred years. According to a landmark study published Thursday in the journal Current Biology, genetic analysis has confirmed that a small, spotted feline native to the Bolivian Yungas cloud forest belongs to an entirely new species, now officially named Leopardus tilcayo.

The historic discovery radically reshapes the scientific understanding of South American felines and underscores the vast, hidden biodiversity residing within the Andes-Amazon basin.

New Cat Species: How Did Scientists Identify The New Feline Sp...