Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Becomes De Facto Wildlife Reserve 40 Years On

A new study reports thriving populations of wolves, bears, lynx, elk, and wild horses in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, 40 years after the nuclear disaster. The rebound is attributed to the absence of human activity rather than radiation tolerance, highlighting the ecological impact of human presence. This underscores the resilience of nature but also the lasting exclusion of human habitation.