In an innovative effort to curb rhino poaching, South African scientists have begun injecting radioactive material into live rhino horns.
The initiative, known as the Rhisotope project, aims to make the horns easier to detect at border posts and render them useless for human consumption.
Led by James Larkin, director of the University of the Witwatersrand's radiation and health physics unit, the project involves inserting two tiny radioactive chips into the horns of 20 rhinos.
The low-dose radioactive material is designed to be detectable by radiation sensors at international borders without harming the animals or the environment.
South Africa, home to the majority of the world's rhinos, has been battling a poaching crisis driven by demand from Asia, where rhino horns are used in traditional medicine. In 2023, 499 rhinos were killed, an 11% increase from the previous year.
Arrie Van Deventer, founder of the Limpopo rhino orphanage where the procedure took place, expressed hope that this new approach could succeed where other methods, such as dehorning and poisoning, have failed. "Maybe this is the thing that will stop poaching," he said. "This is the best idea I've ever heard."
The radioactive material is expected to last five years on the horn, making it a more cost-effective solution than dehorning every 18 months. Additionally, the team sprayed 11,000 microdots on each treated horn for further identification.
As the project moves forward, scientists will monitor the rhinos' health and collect blood samples to ensure the animals are effectively protected. If successful, this innovative approach could provide a powerful new tool in the ongoing fight against rhino poaching and illegal wildlife trade.
