I think there is some research out there about wildlife rebound on some of the islands in the Pacific where nuke tests occurred. My understanding is that rats rebounded fast, and were having low rates of gross abnormalities within a few generations, while the islands were still deemed way too hot for a sustained human presence. I'm not sure on the exact chronology, but it is possible that by 2000 the same would be true for fast breeding small game. Two years and change from the nukes, bigger and slower breeding animals would likely be having more lingering issues.
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