How The Animals Inside Chernobyl Not Only Survive But Thrive

Two Years Later

A few years later, the same group of researchers came back to the area to continue their study of bats and again crossed paths with the sealed bunker. The group was expected to meet only death inside.

Krystian Dobuszynski/NurPhoto via Getty Images

But when they opened the bunker, what they found left them gasping. Amazingly, the ant colony hadn’t died off yet, and their numbers showed no signs of dwindling. In fact, the ant colony had significantly grown in size!