Chernobyl's wildlife shows complex adaptations 40 years after nuclear disaster

9 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Apr 27

Researchers, including Pablo Burraco and Timothy Mousseau, have studied over 250 tree frogs and other species within the 60km exclusion zone near the Chernobyl power plant.
Findings reveal darker frogs, increased genetic diversity in bank voles, and the return of wolves, bears, and bison, though debate continues over the role of radiation versus other environmental factors.
Some species struggle, such as barn swallows affected by contamination and climate change, while subtle, long-term effects and transgenerational mutations remain under investigation, illustrating the ecosystem's complex response since 1986.

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