Chernobyl wildlife is adapting to radiation

A recent study of the British Ecological Society’s journal, Functional Ecology, revealed that wildlife in the Chernobyl contaminated has not only developed tolerance to radiation but some species are actually benefiting from radiation exposure.

Dr Ismael Galván, study leader, confirmed that: ‘previous studies of wildlife at Chernobyl showed that chronic radiation exposure depleted antioxidants and increased oxidative damage. We found the opposite -- that antioxidant levels increased and oxidative stress decreased with increasing background radiation.’

Laboratory studies have shown that humans and animals can, indeed, adapt to radiation and, even more, develop high-dose radiation resistance after long-term exposure to lower doses. This behavior, however, has never been seen outside laboratory conditions, until now.

The researchers also found that there is a difference between bird species when it comes to ionizing radiation resilience.

‘The findings are important because they tell us more about the different species' ability to adapt to environmental challenges such as Chernobyl and Fukushima,’ added Galván.

Ionizing radiation attacks the body by producing very reactive compounds called free radicals. Although the body produces antioxidants to protect itself, if its level is too low then radiation leads to genetic damage and oxidative stress which, ultimately, translate into aging and death.