Humans worse than Chernobyl to wildlife populations?

[Second Summer]

“It’s very likely that wildlife numbers at Chernobyl are much higher than they were before the accident,” said Jim Smith of the University of Portsmouth in the UK. “This doesn’t mean radiation is good for wildlife, just that the effects of human habitation, including hunting, farming, and forestry, are a lot worse.”
[...]
It’s also a salient reminder of the adverse effects human habitation has on animals in their natural environment. Chernobyl was certainly toxic, there’s no doubt about that – but in the long run, it appears the presence of people is even more threatening to animal populations.

More: Animal populations in Chernobyl are thriving due to human exodus (Peter Dockrill, 6. Oct. 2015)

 

[Andy_T]

Yes, that does make a lot of sense.

Animals living in an area with elevated radioactivity are likely not a prized target for hunters... unless, well