U Yungas šumama Bolivije otkrivena je nova vrsta divlje mačke, Tilcayo, naučno Leopardus tilcayo. Potvrđena je genetskom analizom i duga je oko 46 cm, teška 1,4 kg. Studija otkriva da tigraste mačke čine pet genetski različitih linija; istraživači pozivaju na hitnu procenu statusa i zaštitu ugroženih staništa Yungasa.
Otkrivena nova vrsta mačke u Boliviji: Tilcayo (Leopardus tilcayo) — prvo otkriće žive vrste mačaka posle više od 100 godina
A Leopardus tilcayo cat, a newly identified species through research led by National Geographic Explorer Paola Nogales Ascarrunz, walks at the Senda Verde animal refuge in the Yungas region, Bolivia, September 1, 2026. Fernando Faciole/National Geographic/Handout via REUTERS
Mala divlja mačka koja živi u oblačnim yungas šumama Bolivije potvrđena je kao nova, do sada neopisana vrsta. Lokalno je poznata kao Tilcayo, a naučno ime dodeljeno joj je Leopardus tilcayo. To je prvo formalno imenovanje i opis nove žive vrste mačaka u više od jednog veka.
Istraživači su Tilcayo pronašli u bujnoj, planinskoj oblasti Yungas, gde su šume često obavijene maglom i vlage je mnogo. Životinja meri približno 46 cm (oko 18 inča) u dužinu i teži oko 1,4 kg (oko 3 funte) — značajno manje od prosečne domaće mačke.
Tim je koristio genetske analize da potvrdi da se radi o odvojenoj vrsti i zadržao je lokalni naziv u naučnom imenu Leopardus tilcayo. Analize su uključivale DNK uzorke 38 jedinki tiger-mačaka iz više zemalja Južne Amerike, među kojima je bilo i osam primeraka iz muzeja.
„Krzno joj je svetlo braon, sa nepravilno oblikovanim rozetama po telu,“ rekla je Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, Nacional Geographic Explorer i jedna od autorki studije objavljene u časopisu Current Biology.
O biologiji Tilcaya se još malo zna. Analiza izmeta pokazala je ostatke sitnih glodara, što upućuje da su oni deo ishrane, dok snimci sa kamera-trapova sugerišu noćnu ili sumračnu aktivnost. Istraživači su do sada direktno pregledali samo dve žive jedinke; jedna od njih je desetogodišnji mužjak koji trenutno boravi u utočištu Senda Verde nakon što ga je ranije držala lokalna porodica.
Prethodno su tigraste mačke bile smatrane jednom vrstom, ali genetske studije su ukazivale na razlike. Nova studija zaključila je da se grupa tigrastih mačaka sastoji od pet genetski odvojenih linija. Genetske procene sugerišu da se linija Tilcayo odvojila pre oko 1,4 miliona godina — vremenski jaz koji se kod mačaka uglavnom smatra na nivou vrste.
„Naše informacije u ovom trenutku su ograničene na dve žive jedinke koje smo pregledali i mali broj zapisa sa kamera-trapova,“ rekao je Jonas Lescroart, evolucioni biolog i koautor studije.
Istraživači su u istoj studiji opisali i novu podvrstu tigraste mačke u perujskim Yungas oblastima, nazvanu Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo, po istorijskom regionu Antisuyu.
Međunarodna unija za očuvanje prirode (IUCN) trenutno tretira tigraste mačke kao dve vrste sa statusom „ranjiv“ i opadajućim trendom. Autori studije su IUCN-u dostavili nove rezultate; budući pregled koji će procenjivati pet linija zasebno mogao bi dovesti do strožijih statusa za neke od njih, uključujući Tilcayo.
Yungas su već izloženi velikim pritiscima — krčenje šuma, širenje poljoprivrede, požari izazvani ljudskim aktivnostima i rudarstvo. Istraživači pozivaju na hitne mere: obnavljanje oštećenih šumskih parcela, zaštitu preostale autohtone vegetacije i očuvanje povezanosti staništa kako bi se smanjio rizik po nove i druge vrste u regionu.
„Pokazati javnosti da čak i kod grupe koja je simbolična kao što su mačke još uvek postoje neotkrivene vrste može poslati važnu poruku,“ rekao je Eduardo Eizirik, stariji autor studije. „Mnogo je neotkrivenih vrsta u svetu i one su u opasnosti da nestanu pre nego što ih uopšte otkrijemo.“
National Geographic Explorer Paola Nogales Ascarrunz, who led the research that identified Leopardus tilcayo as a new species, observes the cat at the Senda Verde animal refuge in the Yungas region, in Bolivia, September 1, 2026. Fernando Faciole/National Geographic/Handout via REUTERS
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