After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986 in northern Ukraine, almost all people left the area, but many were forced to leave behind their pets – most notably thousands of dogs. Many of the dogs died some time after the accident, but there were those who survived and managed to try. Today, the radioactive environment teems with dogs, descendants of the hundreds that once survived the disaster. Today, the area around Chernobyl is a forbidden zone. Only about 100 people remain, but even more dogs. Now researchers will find out why the dogs thrive in the area, despite the high radiation. – We have been given this golden opportunity to look at the structure of the population and really lay the foundation for the question we all want answered: How fifteen generations can survive in an inhospitable environment in this way, says chief investigator Elaine Ostrander. See more about how the dogs survive in the radioactive Chernobyl in the clip above
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Hundreds of dogs thrive in Chernobyl – despite the high radiation
