Japan on gas, coal power building spree to fill nuclear void

[NickB79]

31. Mainly because animals have short lifespans

Compared to humans.

The kind of damage you'd expect from the radioactive fallout around Chernobyl can take years to decades to manifest itself. In humans, this is a big problem, because we can live such long lives.

In most animals that live at best 10-15 years in the wild (many far, far less than this), they die of weather, disease, predators, etc, long before any of the radiation effects start to become evident.

That said, there is compelling research showing possible long-term genetic damage to the species living there, which could make it harder for them to successfully reproduce in the future.

So, not a blasted wasteland of hopelessness, but also not a utopian game reserve either.