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Innovative Anti-Poaching Strategy Deployed
Researchers at Wits University in Johannesburg have launched a groundbreaking initiative to combat rhino poaching by injecting radioactive isotopes into rhino horns. This nuclear-based approach aims to make horns detectable at border crossings when smugglers attempt to traffic them internationally.
The Rhisotope Project
After six years of testing, the Rhisotope Project has entered its operational phase. The procedure involves sedating rhinos before drilling a small hole into their horns and inserting a carefully measured radioactive substance. According to project leaders, this method effectively protects rhinos through nuclear technology without endangering their health.
International Collaboration
The project is a joint effort between Wits University and Belgium's University of Gent, where researchers monitored the health of 20 rhinos during the pilot phase. Medical assessments confirmed the procedure poses no danger to the animals. Detection tests using mock horns successfully identified radioactive material even inside sealed shipping containers.
Global Security Infrastructure
The initiative leverages existing radiation detectors at airports and seaports worldwide, installed for security purposes. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supports the project, with Director Rafael Mariano Grossi stating it demonstrates how nuclear science can address global conservation challenges.
South Africa's Poaching Crisis
Rhino poaching remains severe in South Africa, driven by demand in Asian markets where horns are valued as status symbols and used in traditional medicine despite lacking scientific evidence of medicinal properties. During Q1 2025 alone, 103 rhinos were killed.
Historical Context
Rhino populations have declined catastrophically from approximately 500,000 a century ago to just 27,000 today. Conservationists hope the radioactive marking will deter poachers who risk transporting detectable material.
