Growth of animal populations in the Chornobyl exclusion zone

Abstract

ABSTRACT A comprehensive study of the biodiversity of the Chornobyl exclusion zone reveals that the animal population has increased over the 35 years since the explosion of the Number Four nuclear reactor, in spite of high background radiation. In some places, nature successfully deals with its consequences: and the lack of human intervention has had a positive impact on the ecosystem. We review the effects of the nuclear disaster on the local wildlife and the recovery of the major representatives of the animal world from the nomadic, migratory, and those limited to a particular ecosystem.