Chernobyl remains the most disastrous nuclear power plant accident in history due to cost, casualties, and residual effects. But in the three decades since the accident, wildlife have reclaimed much of the landscape, getting bathed in the remnant ionizing radiation. We are studying adaptation, following generations of radiation exposure, in the grey wolves that call Chernobyl home.
On April 26, 1986, a routine test at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant triggered explosions that killed workers and released more than 100,000 lbs. of radioactive material into the atmosphere - 400 times more radiation than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
The day after the explosions, the government began evacuations of Pripyat’s residents. Most would never return to their homes.
Apart from the ever-unfolding human toll from the disaster, the Chernobyl accident also left behind a huge area of radiation-tainted land. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), a 1,400 mi² buffer around the site of the explosion, isn’t considered safe for human habitation.
Haunting images from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone / Unsplash
Haunting images from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone / Unsplash
Uryadnikov Sergey / Adobe Stock
Gray wolves have flourished in the exclusion zone. Their population density is estimated to be 7x greater within the CZE than in surrounding reserves. Unlike comic book depictions, these wolves don’t glow in the dark. In fact, they are indistinguishable from their European counterparts.
But how? What adaptations are happening below the surface to cope with the radiation?
Andrew Ly / Unsplash
