Gators, bats, and other animals adapt to urbanization by dwelling in Gainesville’s sewers

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - A newly published study revealed thousands of animals in Gainesville using the sewer system as a home and as a mode of transportation to combat urban environments. More than 3600 different animals were captured on camera, with 35 different species being represented.

UF PhD student Alan Ivory believes the constant growth of urban development is causing animals to adapt to their new surroundings.

“It definitely seems as though animals are using the sewer system as an adaptation. Raccoons are well known for being urban adapted,” says Ivory.

RELATED: Study: Gators, bats, raccoons lurk in Gainesville’s stormwater sewer system

The animals were tracked using trail cameras set up in different sewer pipes that detect motion and can use infrared imagery. Ivory believes this study lays the groundwork for future research on how these animals react in the colder winter months.

“So if we can see different foraging behavior underground or maybe get an increase in bat abundance underground during these colder months, that’ll be valuable information to know of,” says Ivory.

The goal of the study was to understand how urbanization impacts the wildlife population.

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