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Science & Tech218 outlets ran this3 min read

New wild cat species Leopardus tilcayo identified in Bolivia

The discovery marks the first new wild cat species identified in over a century.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published
New wild cat species Leopardus tilcayo identified in Bolivia

What this story says

  • A new wild cat species, Leopardus tilcayo, has been identified in Bolivia's Yungas forest.
  • This is the first new wild cat species described by scientists in over 100 years.
  • The animal is approximately 45-46 centimeters long and weighs about 1.4 kilograms.
  • The discovery was made through DNA analysis of specimens and live animals.

Who covered it

Left 36%(36)Centre 34%(35)Right 30%(30)

Percentages are shares of the 101 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 117 of the 218 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

54/100

Craft

85/100

Hype

25/100

218 sources · methodology

Researchers have identified a new species of wild cat, named Leopardus tilcayo, in Bolivia's Yungas forest. The discovery is significant as it is the first new wild cat species to be described in more than a century. The animal is relatively small, measuring around 45 to 46 centimeters in length and weighing approximately 1.4 kilograms, making it smaller than an average domestic cat.

The identification of Leopardus tilcayo was confirmed through genetic analysis, including DNA from historical museum specimens and samples from live animals. Reports indicate that the cat has light brown fur with irregular rosette-shaped spots. While much about its lifestyle remains unknown, analysis of its droppings suggests a diet of small rodents, and camera trap footage indicates it may be more active at night.

Disagreement on origin of discovery

While most reports agree on the scientific identification and characteristics of the new species, there is a divergence regarding how the discovery was initially prompted. Some reports state that scientists discovered the species through DNA analysis of specimens. Other reports suggest the discovery was initiated when a resident of the Yungas region brought a 'strange house cat' to a local shelter, which led scientists to investigate.

What the coverage left out

None of the left-rated digests mention the detail that only one living individual of this species has currently been confirmed, a fact noted in some right-rated digests.

Tags:#NewSpecies#WildCat#Bolivia#Science#Biodiversity#Zoology

Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 18 Sept 2026, 10:15, and will add the sides that appear.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

36 rated outlets

  • Left-rated reports highlighted the significance of the discovery as the first new wild cat species in over 100 years. They noted the scientific name, Leopardus tilcayo, and its classification within the tiger cat group (oncillas). Several left-rated reports mentioned the cat's physical characteristics, including its size (around 46 cm long, 1.4 kg) and spotted fur. The location in Bolivia's Yungas forest was also frequently mentioned. Some reports included details about the cat's potential diet and nocturnal activity, citing Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz as a key researcher. The historical context, referencing the last discovery of a new cat species in 1923, was also a common point.

Centre

35 rated outlets

  • Centre-rated reports focused on the novelty of the discovery, emphasizing that it is the first new wild cat species identified in over a century. They provided the scientific name, Leopardus tilcayo, and its location in Bolivia. Details about the cat's size, described as smaller than a domestic cat, and its leopard-like fur were common. Some reports mentioned that the animal was initially mistaken for a pet or a 'weird house cat', with one source noting its discovery began in 2016 after a wildlife sanctuary received a call about an unusual cat. The scientific confirmation through DNA analysis was also a recurring element.

Right

30 rated outlets

  • Right-rated reports also highlighted the discovery of a new feline species in Bolivia and the fact that it is the first such discovery in over a century. They described the animal as small with leopard-like fur, living in the Andes near La Paz. The scientific name, Leopardus tilcayo, was mentioned, along with its size being smaller than a domestic cat. Some reports noted that only one living individual of this species has currently been confirmed. The location in Bolivia was consistently stated.

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover New wild cat species Leopardus tilcayo identified in Bolivia?
Of the 101 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 36% are rated left, 34% are rated centre, 30% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 218. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is New wild cat species Leopardus tilcayo identified in Bolivia left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 101 rated outlets on this story, 36% are rated left, 34% are rated centre, 30% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of New wild cat species Leopardus tilcayo identified in Bolivia biased?
New wild cat species Leopardus tilcayo identified in Bolivia is one event reported by 218 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered New wild cat species Leopardus tilcayo identified in Bolivia?
218 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
What is the new wild cat species discovered in Bolivia?
The new wild cat species discovered in Bolivia is named Leopardus tilcayo. It was identified in the Yungas forest and is the first new wild cat species described in over 100 years.
How large is the Leopardus tilcayo?
The Leopardus tilcayo is approximately 45 to 46 centimeters long and weighs about 1.4 kilograms. This makes it smaller than the average domestic cat.
How was the new cat species discovered?
The discovery was confirmed through DNA analysis of historical museum specimens and samples from live animals. Some reports also suggest the initial investigation began after a resident brought an unusual cat to a local wildlife shelter.

Read it at the source

218 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

36
Show 28 more

Centre

35
Show 27 more

Right

30
Show 22 more

Not rated

117
Show 109 more

How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

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