# Alligators in the sewers
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alligators-in-the-sewers/314100
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [July 25, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alligators-in-the-sewers/314100 "2005-07-25T19:52:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alligators-in-the-sewers/314100/1 "2005-07-25T19:52:42Z")
I can’t believe the question of whether alligators lived in New York’s sewers[hasn’t been more definitively answered](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_339.html) since 1978! Cecil’s answer was fine for the time, but is there anything more to it?
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### Author:  [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alligators-in-the-sewers/314100/2 "2005-07-25T23:45:53Z")
> [@Askia](#):
>
> I can’t believe the question of whether alligators lived in New York’s sewers[hasn’t been more definitively answered](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_339.html) since 1978! Cecil’s answer was fine for the time, but is there anything more to it?
You mean a more convincing “no”? Not sure what there is to add assuming you think the first shot he took at it is right.
What I wanna know is what is the word ENWYE:
" It’s questionable whether the alligator could actually be said to have “lived” in the \*\*Enwye \*\*sewers."
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2005, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alligators-in-the-sewers/314100/3 "2005-07-25T23:59:21Z")
Pronounced N.Y.
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### Author:  [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alligators-in-the-sewers/314100/4 "2005-07-26T00:44:17Z")
> [@drhess](#):
>
> You mean a more convincing “no”? Not sure what there is to add assuming you think the first shot he took at it is right.
>
> What I wanna know is what is the word ENWYE:
>
> " It’s questionable whether the alligator could actually be said to have “lived” in the \*\*Enwye \*\*sewers."
Unca Cece sez dat dey did live inna sewers at one time, “doc,” but dat dey wuz wiped out, see? Just not the blind, gargantuan albino variety of myth and urban lore.
I was just wondering why hadn’t some more illuminating books, photographs, interviews, sightings from credible sources been introduced via an update or two since 1978.
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### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alligators-in-the-sewers/314100/5 "2005-07-26T02:17:38Z")
While I can’t find it right now, I did some newspaper searches from the 1930’s or 40’s, and it was a real thing for people to go to florida and come back with baby gators as pets. After having them at home for a few days/weeks, many got dumped. They wound up in sewers. Now, whether there were that many that lived and thrived, I don’t know.
I’ll try to find out what I did with the info…I thought I posted it on the SDMB…
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### Author:  [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2005, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alligators-in-the-sewers/314100/6 "2005-07-26T11:16:02Z")
We could always cheat and look up everything over at [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/critters/lurkers/gator.htm)😉