The University of Witwatersrand in South Africa has launched an anti-poaching campaign called the Rhisotope Project to inject the horns of rhinos with radioactive isotopes that it says are harmless to the animals but can be detected by customs agents. Under a collaborative project between nuclear energy officials and conservationists, five rhinos were injected in what the university hopes will be the start of a mass injection of the declining rhino population. Last year, about 20 rhinos at a sanctuary were injected with isotopes in trials that paved the way for this week’s launch. The radioactive isotopes, even at low levels, can be recognized by radiation detectors at airports and borders, leading to the arrest of poachers and traffickers. “We have demonstrated, beyond scientific doubt, that the process is completely safe for the animal and effective in making the horn detectable through international customs nuclear security systems,” said James Larkin, Chief Scientific Officer of the Rhisotope Project. The tests also found that horns could be detected inside full 40-foot shipping containers. South Africa has the largest population of rhinos with an estimated 16,000 but the country experiences high levels of poaching, with about 500 rhinos killed for their horns every year. The university has urged private wildlife park owners and national conservation authorities to have their rhinos injected as well.
