Chernobyl: Rebirth

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident, the Russian government declared a thousand square miles around it an exclusion zone.

The hundred thousand people evacuated could never return to their homes. The wildlife, however, could.

European bison, which had vanished from the area, returned and populations grew. So did native deer.

These large herbivores brought large predators, like lynx, bear and especially wolves, which had been hunted to near extinction.

Large birds of prey came back too – golden eagles, white tail eagles, black storks and owls. Along with wild boar, beavers and fish in ponds, and rodents of all sizes.

Scientists thought it would take decades. But the diversity and density of animal populations quickly grew to levels of a nature preserve.

Scientists did find some negative effects of the radiation, like cataracts in rodents, and mutated insects.

And some adaptations. A tree frog that naturally has either green or brown skin, had developed nearly black skin – more melanin, which can absorb radiation.

Yet, feral dogs showed no radiation-induced genetic damage.

In fact, most animal populations showed increased radiation, but no mutation beyond normal genetic variance.

The rebound of animal populations at Chernobyl is a study in the resilience of nature, and the surprisingly low impact of radiation upon it.