Tiny new wild cat species becomes Bolivian tourist attraction, but Tigrino wants to hide

The small, spotted feline with large, leopardlike spots is easily stressed, so caretakers keep him out of public view.

A tiny wild cat hidden away in the cloud forests of Bolivia has become an unlikely tourist attraction, drawing a stream of visitors hoping for a glimpse of the animal that scientists have identified as a brand new species.

A small spotted wild cat identified as a new species, Leopardus tilcayo, stands inside Senda Verde wildlife sanctuary in Bolivia's Yungas region, near Coroico. (AP )

There is just one problem: Tigrino, as he has been affectionately dubbed, doesn’t like the attention.

The small, spotted feline with large, leopardlike spots is easily stressed, so caretakers at the wildlife sanctuary near La Paz keep him out of public view, turning away the crowds eager for a closer look. When The Associated Press visited Sunday, Tigrino cautiously emerged from his shelter, sniffed the air and paced around for a few minutes before slipping back into the foliage.

Tigrino belongs to Leopardus tilcayo, the first living wild cat species described by scientists in more than a century. At just 18 inches (46 centimeters) from head to the base of his tail and 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms), he is smaller than the average house cat.

“Tigrino has become, in just a few days, an ambassador for conservation,” said sanctuary co-founder Marcelo Levy, adding that the new species designation has helped raise awareness about the need to protect wild cats and their habitat in Bolivia’s tropical forests.

“He’s such a tiny animal, and he has become something so important,” Levy said.