Whatever damage radiation has wrought, human habitation has caused far greater destruction. Indeed, in areas outside the zone or nature reserves, populations of elk and wild boar underwent steep declines, as major socioeconomic changes after the fall of the Soviet Union worsened rural poverty and crippled wildlife management.
但与受影响区域之外的对比却给人启示良多。无论辐射造成的伤害有多大，都比不上人类居住。事实上，在无人区和自然保护区之外，因为苏联解体后的重大社会经济变化加剧了农村贫困并破坏了野生动物管理，麋鹿和野猪种群出现了大幅减少的势头。