Threatened crocs thrive in nuclear power plant canals United States

American crocodiles, once headed toward extinction, are thriving at an unusual spot — the canals surrounding a South Florida nuclear plant.

Last week, 73 crocodile hatchlings were rescued by a team of specialists at Florida Power & Light’s Turkey Point nuclear plant and dozens more are expected to emerge soon.

Turkey Point’s 270km of manmade canals serve as the home to several hundred crocodiles, where a team of specialists working for FPL monitors and protects them from hunting and climate change.

From January to April, Michael Lloret, an FPL wildlife biologist and crocodile specialist, helps create nests and ponds on berms for crocodiles to nest. Once the hatchlings are reared and left by the mother, the team captures them.

They are measured and tagged with microchips to observe their development. Lloret then relocates them to increase survival rates.

‘‘We entice crocodiles to come in to the habitats FPL created,’’ Lloret said. ‘‘We clear greenery on the berms so that the crocodiles can nest. Because of rising sea levels wasting nests along the coasts, Turkey Point is important for crocodiles to continue.’’

The canals are one of three major US habitats for crocodiles, where 25 per cent of the 2000 American crocodiles live. The FPL team has been credited for moving the classification of crocodiles on the Endangered Species Act to ‘‘threatened’’ from ‘‘endangered’’ in 2007.

The team has tagged 7000 babies since it was established in 1978.

AP Wildlife biologist/crocodile specialist Michael Lloret, centre, pilots an airboat as Bianca Soriano, left, Florida Power and Light spokesperson, rides along, through a section of the cooling canals next to the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station.

AP A bucket full of baby crocodiles that were taken out a crocodile nest on one of the berms along the cooling canals next to the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station are shown in a lab.