POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Viral Claim of New Cat Species Identified in Bolivia, First in Over a Century
The Claim A viral post circulating on social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, claimed that a new cat species had been identified in Bolivia, marking the first such discovery in over a...
The Claim
A viral post circulating on social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, claimed that a new cat species had been identified in Bolivia, marking the first such discovery in over a century. The post, attributed to a news outlet named ‘Reuters,’ suggested that scientists had made a groundbreaking identification of an entirely new feline species in the Andean region of Bolivia.
The claim gained traction after being shared widely under the headline ‘New cat species identified in Bolivia, first in over a century’. The post included a graphic with a stylized image of a wildcat and a caption suggesting that this was a rare and historic event in the field of zoology. The original source link, however, led to a Google News RSS feed rather than a direct article from Reuters, raising questions about the legitimacy of the claim.
The Details & Investigation
Upon investigation, it became clear that the original source of the claim was not a verified Reuters article but rather a Google News RSS feed link. This is a common tactic used in online misinformation campaigns, where users share links to aggregated content without verifying the actual source or the accuracy of the content itself. The URL provided in the viral post did not lead to a specific article but instead to a generic news feed, which further undermines its credibility.
Further analysis revealed that no credible scientific journal or official wildlife organization has announced the discovery of a new cat species in Bolivia in recent years. The last confirmed discovery of a new feline species occurred in 2017, when the Chinese mountain cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) was reclassified as a distinct species. No similar announcement has been made in Bolivia, nor is there any record of such a discovery in major scientific databases like the IUCN Red List or the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
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Additionally, the claim appears to be based on a misinterpretation or misattribution of a legitimate scientific study. A 2022 paper published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution discussed the genetic diversity of wild cats in South America, but it did not identify a new species. Instead, it emphasized the need for further research into the conservation status of existing feline populations in the region. The viral post likely took selective excerpts from this study and misrepresented them as a breakthrough discovery.
Given the lack of credible sources, the absence of peer-reviewed documentation, and the misleading nature of the original post, the claim appears to be a case of MISINFORMATION. It was likely spread due to a combination of misattribution, overinterpretation of scientific findings, and the rapid dissemination of unverified content on social media. While the intent behind the post may not have been malicious, the lack of verification and the potential for public confusion aligns with the characteristics of unintentional viral falsehoods.
The Verdict
The claim that a new cat species was identified in Bolivia, first in over a century, is MISLEADING. While the original post referenced a legitimate scientific discussion about feline biodiversity in South America, it misrepresented the findings as a groundbreaking discovery of a new species. There is no verified evidence to support the assertion that a new cat species was identified in Bolivia, and the source of the claim remains unclear and untrustworthy.
As such, this claim does not meet the threshold for DISINFORMATION, as there is no evidence of deliberate manipulation or coordinated deception. However, it qualifies as MISINFORMATION due to the spread of an inaccurate interpretation of scientific data, compounded by the use of a misleading source link. The viral post should be treated with skepticism and not taken as factual unless corroborated by a reliable, peer-reviewed scientific publication.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).
