GAINESVILLE, FLA – Have you ever wondered what might be living beneath the streets where the rain pours and the drains gurgle to life?
It turns out a hidden ecosystem lies beneath the grid of streets in at least one north Florida city.
Thanks to research at the University of Florida, we now know that the state’s stormwater sewers aren’t just channels for runoff — they’re wildlife thoroughfares teeming with unexpected life.
UF may be home to the Gators, but in Gainesville, some of them don’t need a jersey — they’ve got scales and a storm drain address.
Cameras set up by UF researchers underground revealed a sewer safari.
Ph.D. student Alan Ivory, suspected that storm drains might act as covert highways for urban wildlife. To find out, they installed 39 motion-activated trail cameras on magnetic mounts beneath manhole covers across 33 stormwater drains in Gainesville.
Some cameras were lost to floods or furry thieves, but most survived — and they recorded 3,800 sightings of 35 animal species over two months.
Here’s what they found living below the streets:
- Raccoons were the most common residents, with 1,800+ sightings. They even stole cameras — climbing ladders and tearing them off mounts with their clever paws.
- Southeastern Myotis Bats showed up nearly 700 times, foraging for insects and roosting under manholes — a first-ever documented behavior.
- Alligators made 50 appearances, often using dead-end pipes to trap fish — turning infrastructure into a hunting advantage.
- Birds of 12 species were spotted, including Carolina wrens bringing in nesting material — turning storm drains into makeshift rookeries.
- Mammals like possums, armadillos, rats, and even a bobcat and white-tailed deer made appearances.
- Tree frogs added an amphibious twist, proving that even creatures of the canopy find utility underground.
What started as stormwater management has become a secret passage system for wildlife navigating Florida’s urban sprawl.
This research reveals just how thoroughly animals have adapted to human infrastructure. It’s not just about survival — it’s about strategy.