The National Wildlife Federation has credited the Turkey Point nuclear power plant in Florida for helping save endangered crocodiles by creating a makeshift sanctuary for the reptiles within their 6,800-acre network of canals for the past 30 years.

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In 1985, only 19 crocodiles lived around Turkey Point, but now around 400 live among the canals, which are used to cool to nearby nuclear power plant. The species was changed from endangered to threatened in 2007 by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Florida Power & Light, which owns and operates the plant, discovered in 1978 that the crocodiles were using the area as a breeding ground and immediately hired their own marine biologists to study the rare saltwater reptiles.

”This is a good story for a change,’ said FPL’s biologist Joe Wasilewski. “The species has rebounded enough that there’s a chance for future generations to see them.”

FPL partakes in the Florida Everglades Mitigation Bank, a coalition which helps protect and restore 13,500 acres of wetlands. Across the state, the power company maintains 22,000 acres of wildlife preserves, protecting the habitats of 17 endangered species.

So what do you think, do you agree with the National Wildlife Federation and commend FPL’s efforts, or do the potential downsides of nuclear power plants outweigh these benefits?

And call me crazy, but isn’t this how Godzilla happened?

Photo Credit: Lemoncat1 on Flickr under Creative Commons license.