A subtle revolution is happening deep in Colombia.<\/p>\n
More than a quarter of a million solar panels at El Paso are quietly going about their job. But a secret process is unfolding underneath the arrays.<\/p>\n
Prey species of wildlife are moving in, appreciating the \u201csanctuaries.\u201d<\/p>\n
But motion cameras recorded the remarkable moment one elusive predator decided to make the panels its home.<\/p>\n
What rarely seen cat is covertly thriving inside Colombia\u2019s largest solar farm?<\/p>\n
What set off a transformation in El Paso<\/p>\n
Enel Green Power is the international energy powerhouse behind the El Paso Solar Park in Colombia\u2019s picturesque C\u00e9sar region.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the first large-scale solar endeavor of its kind in the country.\u00a0The solar farm leaves a massive footprint with 250,000 photovoltaic panels and supporting infrastructure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Its installed capacity is 86.2 MW, supporting around 100,000 homes. This is an incredible figure for Colombia.<\/p>\n
Yet, the El Paso farm has had an unexpected effect on wildlife.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The fencing off of the solar farm has created a secure perimeter. The land is undisturbed by hunting and deforestation, and animals were quick to take advantage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Species that have never even seen such high-tech equipment before think it\u2019s the perfect setup for living.<\/p>\n
In fact, one of Earth\u2019s most secretive and shy mammals was recorded moving in with her whole family.<\/p>\n
What is it about an industrial power plant that could attract a creature<\/a> ordinarily so reclusive?<\/p>\n The rewilding of an industrial energy park<\/p>\n There\u2019s so much more to El Paso Solar Park than glass and steel.<\/p>\n The facility has evolved into a thriving ecosystem under its strict Plan de Manejo Ambiental (Environmental Management Plan). The installation is now being used as a vital biological corridor and refuge<\/a>.<\/p>\n Biological monitoring has revealed a rich diversity of native fauna. One of them is the lesser anteater (tamand\u00faa). Its presence, captured through camera traps, is a great sign, proving that ideal levels of insects and vegetation are flourishing directly under the panels.<\/p>\n But the motion-activated cameras went on to deliver even bigger surprises, says Enel Colombia<\/a>.<\/p>\n Researchers noticed a distinct shift brewing in the data. The predator-prey dynamics were shifting.<\/p>\n A mystery mammal smaller than a jaguar but super protective was spotted prowling through the solar arrays in the darkness.\u00a0<\/p>\n What kind of apex predator looks at a bunch of shiny, man-made PV panels and sees a perfect nursery?<\/p>\n An epic catalyst and a win for green-on-green strategies<\/p>\n After more intense monitoring of the camera footage, the mystery was solved.\u00a0<\/p>\n A mother tigrillo (Leopardus tigrinus, or oncilla, or northern tiger cat) was spotted moving her cubs into the fenced-off solar park. Foxes have been known to do the same.<\/a><\/p>\n The sight of the rare, elusive, and human-hunted native wild feline marked a historic milestone. She actually moved her family of vulnerable cubs (cr\u00edas) in instead of merely using the area to hunt as a lone wanderer.<\/p>\n The question is, why would such a threatened species known for hiding far from humanity choose an industrial site for a family home?<\/p>\n Enel Green Power created a unique environment<\/p>\n In the fenced-in confines of the solar farm, deforestation and hunting are no longer threats.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also a thermal bonus.<\/a> The workings of the panels inadvertently provide shade under the blistering C\u00e9sar heat with a synthetic canopy.<\/p>\n They also act as shields from birds of prey above.<\/p>\n And finally, there are the hunting benefits. The rich vegetation under the panels<\/a> supports an abundance of small rodents, insects, and lizards. What more could a nursing mother tigrillo want?<\/p>\n