Scientists in South Africa have launched an innovative anti-poaching campaign by making rhino horns radioactive. The Rhisotope Project, led by the University of the Witwatersrand, aims to reduce rhino poaching by allowing customs officials to detect smuggled horns using a harmless radioactive material.
South Africa has the largest population of rhinos in the world and loses hundreds of them every year due to poaching. The project, costing £220,000 ($290,000), involved six years of research and testing on 20 rhinos, confirming the safety of the radioactive material for the animals.
The pilot study found that the horns could be detected even inside full 40-foot shipping containers. Rhinoceros experts believe this technology will help disrupt the flow of poached horns out of South Africa and provide reliable data to map out illegal channels.
Conservation charities say while this project is a step in the right direction, it’s not a substitute for better legislation and political will to end the rhino crisis. The project’s goal is to deploy the technology at scale to protect the iconic species, safeguarding not just rhinos but Africa’s natural heritage.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyvn3264q01o