In 1975, Florida’s American crocodiles werelisted as endangered. But just two years later, something unexpected happened. Employees at the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station, located around 25 miles south of Miami, spotted a crocodile nest among the plant’s man-made network of cooling canals. Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL), the company that operates the plant, set up a program to monitor and protect the crocodiles that had settled in this unusual habitat. And ever since, the plant’s resident croc population has been booming.

There are several reasons why the cooling canals of Turkey Point make for a fruitful habitat for crocs and other animals—like snakes, otters, raccoons and manatees, which have also taken up residence there, according to Swartz. For one, the site is relatively isolated, allowing the animals to go about their business without human interference. The plant is also located near Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park.

The cleanup effort is ongoing, but that has not appeased opponents of Turkey Point’s canals. In March, Staletovich report that nuclear regulators had ordered a hearing over plans to keep the plant operating until the 2050s, prompted by a number of environmental concerns. Among those concerns is the presence of ammonia in the canals’ waters, which some worry is harming endangered and threatened species. And as hospitable as the Turkey Point environment is for nesting crocodiles, it can quickly turn hostile. In 2015, high temperatures in Florida led to increased salinity in the canals, which experts think led to a marked drop in crocodile nests.

Brigit Katz, Smithsonianmagazine.com, 23 juillet 2019

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/florida-crocs-are-thriving-outside-nuclear-power-plant-180972712/