So yeah, for the animals of Chernobyl, mutations are always a risk, birth rates are low, lifespans are short, and their social lives aren't great given that there just aren't that many other animals around to hang out with. It's not all bad news, though. It is, after all, a (mostly) human-free paradise, and in many ways that's preferable to living somewhere full of human hikers, hunters, gawkers, and bad drivers. Some trade-offs are totally worth it.
Chernobyl has become a haven for a number of endangered animals. Large carnivores like bears and lynx (both considered endangered) have settled into the Chernobyl exclusion zone and appear to be maintaining healthy populations. According to Restoration Ecology, the area is also home to at least 13 pairs of endangered Greater Spotted Eagle. Also, between 1998 and 2004, conservationists made the bizarre decision to release endangered Przewalski's horses into the exclusion zone, which actually appear to be doing okay (via Mammal Research).
It's worth pointing out that its unclear just what this means for endangered species — yes, the Chernobyl exclusion zone is a safe place for them to breed away from human interference, but 30 years after the accident it's still a radiation hotspot and there's always going to be the potential for genetic problems similar to what scientists have seen in more common species. So are they really okay? There's just not enough data available to answer that question.
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