South African Scientists Use Radioactive Material to Combat Rhino Poaching

The University of the Witwatersrand's Rhisotope Project has begun injecting rhino horns with harmless radioactive material to help customs officials identify smuggled horns, addressing the poaching crisis in South Africa.

In an ambitious effort to combat rampant poaching, South African scientists are launching a unique initiative to inject rhino horns with a harmless radioactive substance. The project, spearheaded by researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand, is part of the Rhisotope Project, which aims to provide customs authorities with the ability to easily detect smuggled horns in transit.

With South Africa housing the world’s largest population of rhinos, poaching remains a dire issue, claiming hundreds of these majestic creatures annually. Professor James Larkin, a key figure in the Rhisotope Project, noted that “at least one animal a day is still being poached,” emphasizing the urgent need for proactive measures to address the crisis.

The innovative program, which has taken six years to develop and incurred costs of approximately £220,000 ($290,000), has undergone thorough research and testing. The pilot study included 20 rhinos, confirming that the radioactive material poses no harm to the animals. The collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency has resulted in a cutting-edge detection method that can identify the treated horns even within large shipping containers.

Jamie Joseph, a respected conservationist and director of the Saving the Wild charity, praised the project as a much-needed strategy. While acknowledging that it is not a complete solution to the poaching epidemic, she stated that the Rhisotope Project has the potential to significantly disrupt the illegal trade of rhino horns.

Since 2021, annual poaching rates have exceeded 400 rhinos in South Africa, according to the charity Save the Rhino. As Jessica Babich, the head of the Rhisotope Project, articulated, “Our goal is to deploy the Rhisotope technology at scale to help protect one of Africa’s most iconic and threatened species.” By implementing this technology, the team hopes to not only safeguard rhinos but also preserve an essential part of the continent’s natural legacy.

African rhino horns are in high demand in Asian markets for their perceived medicinal properties and as status symbols. With white rhinos classified as threatened and black rhinos critically endangered, the Rhisotope Project represents a hopeful step in the fight against poaching while aiming to ensure a future for these magnificent animals.