How Chernobyl has become an unexpected haven for wildlife

[UngulateNerd92]

Many people think the area around the Chernobyl nuclear plant is a place of post-apocalyptic desolation. But more than 30 years after one of the facility’s reactors exploded, sparking the worst nuclear accident in human history, science tells us something very different.

Researchers have found the land surrounding the plant, which has been largely off limits to humans for three decades, has become a haven for wildlife, with lynx, bison, deer and other animals roaming through thick forests. This so-called Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), which covers 2,800 square km of northern Ukraine, now represents the third-largest nature reserve in mainland Europe and has become an iconic – if accidental – experiment in rewilding.

How Chernobyl has become an unexpected haven for wildlife

 

[Zorro]

Many people think the area around the Chernobyl nuclear plant is a place of post-apocalyptic desolation. But more than 30 years after one of the facility’s reactors exploded, sparking the worst nuclear accident in human history, science tells us something very different.

Researchers have found the land surrounding the plant, which has been largely off limits to humans for three decades, has become a haven for wildlife, with lynx, bison, deer and other animals roaming through thick forests. This so-called Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), which covers 2,800 square km of northern Ukraine, now represents the third-largest nature reserve in mainland Europe and has become an iconic – if accidental – experiment in rewilding.

How Chernobyl has become an unexpected haven for wildlife

Also on one tv program of River Monsters showed them catching fish that looked in perfect health within sight of the former plant!!

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Also on one tv program of River Monsters showed them catching fish that looked in perfect health within sight of the former plant!!

So much for the three eyed mutant fish and frog urban legends.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Many people think the area around the Chernobyl nuclear plant is a place of post-apocalyptic desolation. But more than 30 years after one of the facility’s reactors exploded, sparking the worst nuclear accident in human history, science tells us something very different.

Researchers have found the land surrounding the plant, which has been largely off limits to humans for three decades, has become a haven for wildlife, with lynx, bison, deer and other animals roaming through thick forests. This so-called Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), which covers 2,800 square km of northern Ukraine, now represents the third-largest nature reserve in mainland Europe and has become an iconic – if accidental – experiment in rewilding.

How Chernobyl has become an unexpected haven for wildlife

I think this is one of the most interesting and paradoxically encouraging examples of an anthropogenic area reverting back to nature.

I remember watching a documentary on the exclusion zone years ago and seeing footage of bears breaking into houses and the descendents of the former human residents domestic pet cats that had never seen a human sleeping in abandoned houses with fading pictures of Lenin on the wall and other human artifacts.

 

[birdsandbats]

Are mutations a problem here? Surely there is still a lot of radioactive debris all around the exclusion zone.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Are mutations a problem here? Surely there is still a lot of radioactive debris all around the exclusion zone.

I think that is the popular image of the exclusion zone but apparently this isn't an issue.

 

[JurassicMax]

Maybe no phenotypic mutations but they could suffer from genetic mutations.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Maybe no phenotypic mutations but they could suffer from genetic mutations.

Judging by a quick google search there has been quite high levels of genetic mutations recorded in birds in the exclusion zone.

What We Know About the Chernobyl Animal Mutations

 

[birdsandbats]

I know Chernobyl is often called a 'haven for wildlife' nowadays, but I really don't think it can be called such. The whole radioactive animals thing scares me, what affects is this having on their populations. And migratory birds that breed in the area, how likely are you to encounter a radioactive bird elsewhere in the world?

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I know Chernobyl is often called a 'haven for wildlife' nowadays, but I really don't think it can be called such. The whole radioactive animals thing scares me, what affects is this having on their populations. And migratory birds that breed in the area, how likely are you to encounter a radioactive bird elsewhere in the world?

There are apparently concerns that wolves from the Chernobyl exclusion zone may spread genetic mutations to other wolf populations through dispersal and breeding.

 

[birdsandbats]

There are apparently concerns that wolves from the Chernobyl exclusion zone may spread genetic mutations to other wolf populations through dispersal and breeding.

Among other things. I'm wondering what happens if a hawk eats of of those radioactive Barn Swallows while the swallow is on the wintering grounds. Then you have a radioactive hawk flying around Africa!

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Among other things. I'm wondering what happens if a hawk eats of of those radioactive Barn Swallows while the swallow is on the wintering grounds. Then you have a radioactive hawk flying around Africa!

Yes, but I think the genetic mutations of animals from the exclusion zone may be a bigger concern. However, so far the evidence for this seems to be very unclear.

 

[Zorro]

Yes, but I think the genetic mutations of animals from the exclusion zone may be a bigger concern. However, so far the evidence for this seems to be very unclear.

I was wondering if they glow in the dark

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I was wondering if they glow in the dark

Not yet apparently

 

[Jurek7]

Chernobyl area can now be visited as a sort of specialty tours. A colleague of mine was on one. Radioactivity is dangerous only in a small area immediately around the former reactor, and in scattered pockets elsewhere, where e.g. it rained heavily immediately after the explosion, or contaminated stuff was stored. Unfortunately, wild animals are practically not seen during these tours, because the tours keep to fixed places cleaned or known to have low radiation.

There are now some people living in the exclusion zone, mostly elderly farmers which returned to their former homes and were quietly allowed to stay.

Wildlife has an advantage over humans: most animals are short-lived and have high natural mortality. This naturally weeds out mutants and sick individuals from the population.

 

[birdsandbats]

Chernobyl area can now be visited as a sort of specialty tours. A colleague of mine was on one. Radioactivity is dangerous only in a small area immediately around the former reactor, and in scattered pockets elsewhere, where e.g. it rained heavily immediately after the explosion, or contaminated stuff was stored. Unfortunately, wild animals are practically not seen during these tours, because the tours keep to fixed places cleaned or known to have low radiation.

There are now some people living in the exclusion zone, mostly elderly farmers which returned to their former homes and were quietly allowed to stay.

Wildlife has an advantage over humans: most animals are short-lived and have high natural mortality. This naturally weeds out mutants and sick individuals from the population.

The problem is that as long as there are still radioactive particles for the animals in ingest there will continue to be mutants and sick individuals.

 

[toothlessjaws]

The affects of radiation on the animals is negligible compared to the overwhelming benefits of having no humans around. I don't think there is any serious risk of "mutated" or "radioactive" animals taking over the earth.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

The affects of radiation on the animals is negligible compared to the overwhelming benefits of having no humans around. I don't think there is any serious risk of "mutated" or "radioactive" animals taking over the earth.

Certainly not of taking over the earth I agree. However, I don't think the potential negative impacts of deleterious genetic mutations within populations can be considered negligible.

At least it shouldn't be written off as negligible until there is much more data at hand that has been obtained from the exclusion zone and surrounding areas.