Rhino horns get radioactive to thwart poaching

South Africa has the largest rhino population in the world and hundreds of rhinos are poached every year.

According to BBC, horns of African rhinos are exported to Asian markets where consumers buy them as status symbol or use as medicines.

More than 400 rhinos are poached in South Africa every year since 2021 as reported by Save the Rhino conservative groups.

To combat poaching challenges, South Africa has started injecting radioactive material into Rhino horns to thwart poachers in groundbreaking Anti-trafficking campaign.

The initial pilot study of the campaign confirms that the procedure is completely safe for animals.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also ensures that the isotopes used possess no health risks while remaining effective in detection systems worldwide.

This bold step has been initiated by South African scientists to combat this rampant cruelty.

Researchers from Witwatersrand University proposed a project Rhisotope to stop poaching.

This project majorly aims to make smuggled rhino horns from South Africa to get detectable by poachers at international borders.

Rhisotope explains the beneficial use of radioactive active isotopes that can be detected through advance scanning technologies that are harmless for wild animals.

Director Saving the Wild Charity, Mr. Jamie Joseph said “Rhisotope project was innovative and much needed.”

IAEA finds that the radioactive elements will detect animals from even 6 meters distance at least.

Even rhinos or other poaching animals traveling or hidden in large covered shipping containers can be detected now from radioactive horns to stop animal-trafficking.

According to the project team, Rhisotope was in pipeline for 6 years and finally launched at a cost of $290,000.

One of the lead scientists from the project, professor James Lark said: “This could be the holy grail in anti-poaching technology.”

“By making Rhino horns detectable globally, we can proactively disrupt trafficking before it leaves African borders,” he added.

Lark said, “At least one animal a day has been poached.“

Project head Miss Jessica Babich stated “Our goal is to deploy the Rhisotope technology at scale to help protect one of the Africa’s most iconic and threatened species.”

“By doing so, we safeguard not just rhinos but a vital part of our natural heritage,” Babich added.

What is poaching?

Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals.

In 1998 environment scientists from University of Massachusetts Amherst Proposed the concept of "poaching" as an illegal activity and environmental crime.

They considered poaching as a serious survival threat to animal and plant species.

Impact of Rampant poaching

Poaching is the major cause of decline of the popular animal species of the world like rhinos, elephants, tigers accelerating them to the brink of extinction.

Brutal methods of poaching perpetrate immense animal suffering.

Not only the species decline but poaching also disrupts the ecosystems, impacting food chains and altering habitat structure. It effects tourism and global economy as well.