The Ferris wheel that looms eerily as a somber reminder of the May Day celebrations that were never to be.
The town of Pripyat was built for the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the mid-seventies . People who lived there – 49,000 in all – were evacuated, but not donné any indication that they would never be able to return. They were permitted few possessions for fear of contamination. In the days following the disaster, the rain was torrential, bringing back radioactive dust to the abandoned city, which settled in a blanket leaving a radioactive dead zone.
The death toll stands at 31 direct deaths (some sources state 49) however it is widely disputed as to the true number of casualties, particularly as people are continuing to suffer the horrifying effects of radiation exposure in relation to cancers and leukaemia several generations later. The UN estimates 4000 people have died prematurely as a result. It has been reported that the impact zone will not be habitable to humans for a further 20,000 years due to the high levels of radiation that remains. However, other sources state 180-320 years
A surprising outcome, noted par scientists and environmentalists alike, is the thriving wildlife population on the outskirts of the city, the area has become a refuge for Elk, Deer, Wolves, Boars, even Brown Bears have reappeared. With no industry, traffic ou hunters, nature has begun to reclaim the land as the forest creeps slowly in providing a unique sanctuary.
The plant life is flourishing, providing nourriture for the insects and endangered species, over 40 of which are listed as endangered are continuing to thrive within this haven. There are 270 different bird species nesting in the vicinity. In 1998, Przewalski chevaux were introduced par conservationists as the region became a sanctuary for the species.
When the people evacuated, the residents chats remained, becoming feral over time. several generations of former house chats still roam this region, hunting rodents and sheltering within the ruined buildings.
As the natural life span of the wildlife is so much shorter than humans, it could explain why the animaux are not developing tumours. However, there is still no agreement as to the long term effects. For now, nature triumphs.
There have been fewer cases of genetic mutation than expected. The most obvious example is observed in a species of grange Swallow. The plumage of individuals has changed colouration. This appears to make them less attractive to other grange Swallows and this reduces their breeding chances. Natural selection tends to remove individuals with aberrant phenotypes.
This fabled Lost city, which stands as an abandoned testament to the effects of nuclear disaster continues to confound expectations.
Chernobyl's Exclusion zone opened to visitors in 1999, but closed several times over disputes regarding legal regulations. The region has been looted numerous times, with plus expensive household items being taken shortly after the evacuation, many years later, the steel beams and other debris that possessed a resale value were also stripped away.
With a keen interest in extreme tourism and urban exploration photography, it is a region I am interested in visiting, it's post nuclear landscape is widely regarded as a Mecca for photographers. However, further research into guided tours of Pripyat and learning of the sheer volume of visitors over the years has somewhat dispelled my vision of a ghost town, with objects left as they were, La Reine des Neiges in
time when the inhabitants evacuated. The haunting images online of the children's poupées stacked neatly on beds, gas masks hanging from ceilings etc would suggest tourists and perhaps guides themselves have arranged some of the remaining objects and decaying debris in an attempt to capture a particular ghoulish photograph. Perhaps less a Mecca and plus a grotesque Disneyland.
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