The Lost Forest

After years of nuclear devastation, species in Chernobyl have adapted a mind of their own. In the 1980s there was a catastrophic nuclear accident resulting in the town being evacuated for decades to come. This created an abundance of environmental contamination which posed significant long term effects on the area. Chernobyl was further destroyed by a war between Russia and Ukraine which posed outstanding amounts of deterioration to the already abandoned area. The areas in the Exclusion showed high levels of radiation consistent all the way into the 2040s, almost one hundred years later. The persistent radioactive material in the environment posed significant detrimental effects on the local animals; causing deformities, and genetic adaptations to their decades of radioactive exposure. Roaming amongst the decaying ruins, and mutated surroundings Lynx and Elk have taken over the barren wastelands. Their DNA has been permanently altered by decades of radiation. This radioactive contamination has affected and endangered a large amount of native species. However for some, the radiation has only provided room to grow. Within their habitats new forms of life have emerged. Landscapes surrounding the ruins of old factory buildings are now breeding grounds for a variety of apex predators. These species aren’t your typical 4 legged mammals. Mutated to camouflage, they thrive in these natural environments. Extreme weather conditions shape these landscapes. Acid rain, droughts and heatwaves make it extremely hard for the weak to survive. Scientists have researched these sites of destruction only to discover the mutations of deer and bear to be nothing like they once were. Almost all biotic factors have been manipulated and mutated through radioactive landscapes. This includes new plants and fungus species that are unique to this area. Plants are covered with radioactive molecules, and grow uncontrollably within the rubble of a vanished city.

The sound of predators hunting for their prey fills the ominous landscape. Ruins collapse and huge gusts of wind spread plant seeds allowing for an uncontrolled sprawl of radioactive foliage. Trees and vines take over the abandoned streets and chronic radiation exposure has only allowed new forms of life to evolve. Within the local flora are excess levels of cysteine synthase, a protein known to protect plants by binding heavy metals. These findings have allowed researchers to come to the conclusion that plants have been protecting themselves from Chernobyl’s radiation. Reflected in both the plant and animal species still thriving in this area is the acknowledgment that they are immune to destruction caused by radioactivity and have adapted to thrive in these conditions.

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The mossy habitats provide shelter for the deer protecting them from predators and acting as a supplemental nutrient method.

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These nocturnal creatures rest during the day camouflaging into the landscape, while at night they hunt for their prey.

Emerging from their burrows, at night, these rough ball-like animals bring out their legs as they awaken and begin their daily cycle. These nocturnal creatures shake and make loud rumbling noises to call attention and scare the animals around them. The appeal of the lynx is no mystery. During the day they hide in their independent habitats while at night they are completely active for mating, breeding, and hunting for prey. These creatures move in large herds and collaborate with each other to hunt for prey. As a defense mechanism, they will go into their shells and camouflage with the landscape if they feel threatened. They do not need much for their habitats, basically carrying them on their backs. At a first glance, they look homogeneous with the landscape. It is not until it gets dark and they start to move that you can really understand the way these animals live.

Similar to the lynx are the elks. These creatures hunt every animal around them, including humans. They are carnivores. They are almost considered an invasive species. The animals are on the run all day and night. They are extremely protective of their offspring and even if another lynx comes near it, they will fight and most likely one will end up dead. These creatures are nothing like the elks that were roaming the forest freely many years ago. They have mutated and become extremely aggressive in unprecedented ways. They habitate between trees and camouflage very well with the tree bark making it hard for them to be preyed upon by others. The elks thrive in the scorching hot temperatures of Chernobyl.

Due to the unforeseen changes in climate, animals such as the deer have seen unpredictable decreases in population. However the survival of some of the deer has allowed them to adapt and mimic the living conditions of the lynx and the elk. The deer live under rocks and hills. Due to the chemicals in their DNA, they are able to scrunch their legs and become very small creatures when they are going into their habitat. Radiation altering the biology of deer has had a direct impact on their physical components. They are much smaller now, about the size of a medium-sized dog. These animals prey in a very unique way, multiple deer will hurdle on to their prey and then will attack together. At a very young age, these creatures are abandoned by their mother and thrown into real life to survive on their own.

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The carnivorous elks roam around the landscape hunting every animal they find.

At the microscopic level live these very small frog-like creatures. The three legged amphibians roam around feeding on the small patches of leaves and very small insects lying around on the ground. These animals are very easily spotted for their bright green color. Although they are hunted very quickly by the lynx and elks, the three-legged frogs mate and breed on a monthly cycle, allowing for the reproduction of these creatures to be fairly fast. Each egg that is laid hatches around 50 frogs. The eggs are kept warm and away from predators under the dirt beneath the leaves. The mother then leaves the egg there for a couple of weeks and comes back to newborn frogs. She teaches them how to hunt and breed and then abandons them.

One apex predator which has their life planned are the bears local to Kyiv. Living within the heart of the radiation the bears hide within self created cave like structures made out of materials found around them. These bears are omnivores so they can survive off both the toxic plants growing around them and smaller species easy to spot. During the colder months they use their shelters to hibernate, and with no active predators the only thing the bears have nothing to worry about but each other. The bear population has seen a rapid increase as they continue to evolve and adapt to their surroundings.

These creatures seem to be adapting quickly regardless of their chemical mutations. Human abandonment has allowed these creatures to be in a more safe environment and have one less predator. What once seemed to be an area that would completely be abandoned from all living species is now a landscape full of flourishing life. Researchers and scientists are trying to use data driven analysis to imagine the lives and transformations of these creatures in years to come.