A South African university has launched a novel anti-poaching initiative, injecting the horns of rhinoceroses with radioactive isotopes to deter traffickers. The University of the Witwatersrand, in collaboration with nuclear energy officials and conservationists, announced the project on Thursday, following successful trials on 20 rhinos last year.
The isotopes, which are harmless to the animals, can be detected by radiation monitors at airports and borders, even inside large shipping containers. This allows customs agents to intercept poachers and traffickers. The project, called the Rhisotope Project, aims to inject a significant portion of the declining rhino population.
James Larkin, chief scientific officer at the Rhisotope Project, said tests confirmed the process is safe for the animals and effective in making the horn detectable. “Even a single horn with significantly lower levels of radioactivity than what will be used in practice successfully triggered alarms in radiation detectors,” he said.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates the global rhino population has fallen from about 500,000 at the start of the 20th century to approximately 27,000 today, driven by demand for rhino horns on the black market. South Africa, home to an estimated 16,000 rhinos, loses about 500 each year to poaching.
The university has called on private wildlife park owners and national conservation authorities to participate in the injection programme.
