Endangered crocodiles saved by… a nuclear power plant? Is that really a good idea?

I know, us conservatives will be all: “See! Human advancement and nature can coexist successfully!” But…well, more on the “but” later. Here’s the story:

It sounds like the plot for a Syfy movie of the week, but the moral of the story is more heartwarming than terrifying: There’s an unexpected newfound harmony between a nuclear power plant and a 15-foot-long endangered species of crocodile.

The Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Florida has been so good to the American crocodile that the reptile was recently taken off the endangered species list. But the croc’s newly thriving condition has nothing to do with nuclear power itself; rather the species has cottoned to the 168 miles of manmade cooling canals that surround the plant, adopting the system as a new natural breeding ground.

“The way the cooling canal system was designed actually turned out to be pretty good for crocodile nesting,” said John Wrublik, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “It wasn’t designed for crocodiles, but they’ve done a very good job of maintaining that area.”

The recirculating water system at Turkey Point works by pumping water from the canals through a condenser, somewhat like a car’s cooling system. The canals and berms used in the process have unintentionally become a nesting habitat for the crocodiles, that has helped lower their risk status from “endangered” to “threatened.”

Federal wildlife officials say the crocodiles have experienced a five-fold population increase since the late 70′s. And the crocs living in the canals are doing even better than their counterparts at the state’s other two official sanctuaries, which still classify the enormous reptile as threatened. In 1997, the American crocodile population was down to just 300, while today, it’s estimated to be more than 1,500 and growing.

So these crocodiles are breeding in water that was used to cool a nuclear reactor.

Doesn’t anybody ever watch late night TV anymore? Has the reporter on this story ever seen the SyFy channel?

Sheesh. Crocodiles. Nuclear plant. Water. Come on, people. Do the math!

Fifty feet long. And that’s just a baby.