‘Abundance’ of Alligators Found in Florida Sewer System: ‘Like Something Out of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”’

Florida's sewer systems have been playing host to alligators.

A study conducted by the University of Florida found that the stormwater sewer systems beneath Gainesville contained a total of 35 different animal species, including armadillos, frogs, raccoons and yes, alligators. The study exhibits a shift towards "human-modified environments" as urbanization and development progress.

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Alan Ivory, a Ph.D. student at UF, spearheaded the study. While the movement of rats throughout underground systems is well-studied, the patterns of other animals — who use the tunnels as pathways to navigate an urban landscape — is far less researched.

“It’s like something out of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," Ivory told the New York Times. “The abundance of animals down there was surprising.”

The team carried out the study by using 39 motion-activated trail cameras attached to manhole covers on 33 stormwater drains. Across roughly two months, the cameras collected data — though some fell victim to storm water or thieving raccoons, Ivory said.

The American Alligator, also known by its scientific name, Alligator mississippiensis, was among seven types of reptiles found in the storm sewage systems and was "documented across the greatest number of sites."

Related: Alligator Caught on Camera Making ‘Himself at Home’ at Florida Residence: See the Video

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The data in the study suggests that many of the animals use the storm sewage systems to avoid crossing busy roads or other highly trafficked areas. Others, mainly small animals, may have been found in the sewers after being swept there by runoff water.

“Of the five sites, four of the sites where alligators were observed were simple culverts, and for this reason, most of the alligator observations were of animals swimming from one pond to another (35 of 50 observations), thereby avoiding crossing busy roads,” the study read.

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