Nature & science · News English
Meet a small wild cat from Bolivia
Scientists identify a small forest cat that local people already know.
Read the story, then try the activities.
A small cat with a new scientific name
Read to find out: how did scientists learn that this cat was different?
1Scientists have identified a small wild cat in Bolivia, in South America. Its scientific name is Leopardus tilcayo. A report published on 18 September describes the animal and the work that helped scientists recognise it as a different species.
2The cat lives in the Yungas forests of Bolivia. It has a spotted coat and round ears. It is smaller than a typical pet cat. Local people already knew this animal. They used the name tilcayo before scientists gave it its new scientific name.
3Biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz studied one of these cats. She noticed that it did not look quite like other tiger cats. The research team then compared its DNA with the DNA of other cats. DNA carries information about living things. The tests helped the team understand that this was a separate species.
4Photographer Joel Sartore photographed a tilcayo at the Senda Verde Animal Refuge in Bolivia. His report explains that mining and the loss of trees threaten its forest home. The name tilcayo also recognises local people’s knowledge. The animal is new to scientific records, but it is not new to people in the area.
An original, simplified news report. The examples and model answers in the activities are for language practice, not extra news facts.
Word help · Three useful words
Read the meanings and examples. Choose one word to use in your own sentence.
wild
living in nature, not as a pet
A wild animal does not live with people as a pet.
species
a group of the same kind of animal or plant
A tiger and a lion are different species.
protect
to keep someone or something safe
We can protect trees by taking care of them.
Check your reading · Three questions
Choose one answer for every question, then check. You can change an answer and check again.
Useful English: making comparisons
Small → smaller than: use this to compare sizes. “A mouse is smaller than a horse.”
With many short adjectives, add -er + than: tall → taller than; short → shorter than.
Different from means “not the same as”: “My phone is different from yours.”
These are language examples, not new facts from the report.
Look around you. Compare two things: “My ___ is smaller than ___.”
See a model and follow-up
My phone is smaller than my notebook.
Solo: make one more true comparison. Tutor: ask “Which one do you use more?”
Speak about the story · Your view
An animal near you
Speak for 30–45 seconds. Name an animal you know. Where does it live? Compare it with another animal. Why do you like it?
Start here: “I know a… It lives… It is smaller than… I like it because…”
Open a model response
I know a small bird near my home. It lives in the trees. It is smaller than a pigeon. I like it because it sings in the morning. I enjoy watching it from my window.
This is an invented model for language practice. It is not a quotation or a news report.
Solo: repeat your answer with one clearer comparison. Tutor: ask “How can people protect this animal?”
Mastery check · Three questions
Choose one answer for every question, then check. You can change an answer and check again.
Sources and reporting date
Checked on 18 September 2026. Euronews published at 11:18 GMT+2 (04:18 Bogota) today; its original publication metadata confirms the time. Joel Sartore’s first-hand account is dated 17 September. The source reports differ on some details, so this lesson omits disputed measurements, population claims and the ‘first in 100 years’ headline.
- Euronews: scientists identify a wild cat in Bolivia
Published 18 September 2026, 11:18 GMT+2. News source for the animal’s features, location and identification. - Joel Sartore: the tilcayo joins the Photo Ark
Published 17 September 2026. First-hand photography account, supporting the refuge, DNA comparison, local name and threats to the forest.