Crocodiles are full of fields under the Florida sewer system

The recent research published in the Journal of Urban Naturalist revealed crocodiles and dozens of other species used a sewer system in an urban area in Florida to move safely in the urban environment. Despite careful research on rats in the sewer system, other animals have less attention. Alan Ivory, a graduate student at the University of Florida, leader of the research team and colleagues suspected the underground maze was built to turn this rainwater to act as an important path for animals in urban areas, according to the urban area, according to People.

The team focused on the rainwater sewer below the city of Gainesville. They equipped the camera activated by motion with magnetic rack and attach them below the sewer cap. In total, 39 cameras were deployed in 33 rainwater sewers. They let the camera work for 60 days, but not all the cameras exist for so long. Some rainwater swept away while others were destroyed by animals. According to Ivory, some cat bears climbed up the steps and rely on the camera.

However, researchers can recover most of the camera, recording nearly 3,800 appearances of 35 animals. Alligator Mississippiensis (Alligator Mississippiensis) is among 7 species of reptiles detected in the rainwater sewer system and is recorded in the most locations.

Other residents under the sewer include animals with bags and rats. But the species surprised the scientist is the frog, Tatu and 12 species of birds. Small birds are observed in 6 different rainwater sewers, sometimes with nesting materials. Mammals are the most popular residents under the sewer. Cat bears appear more than 1,800 times. The second most common animal is the southeast mouse ear (700 times). Bats use sewers to search for insects, Ivory said. Some larger species such as white tail and spiritual cats are recorded near the entrance to the sewer. But very few species go inside, except for crocodiles.

The team recorded 50 crocodiles. Most use the sewer as a straight line between the ponds. But the team also observed sometimes crocodile swimming to a dead place to hunt for fish, as if they were putting fish in that dead place, using human infrastructure to help them eat. Although scientists only study Gainesville area, they think that similar species use rainwater sewers in urban areas throughout Florida.

Ivory and colleagues said that Florida rainwater sewers could be improved to become dry and accessible to wildlife. In the study, scientists observed snakes and clones often drifting into the sewer in heavy rain and sometimes hard to crawl out. Building a slope near the rainwater sewer can help the species are stuck to a safe escape.