Could this be the future of anti-poaching techniques? In South Africa, researchers from the University of Witwatersrand initiated a nuclear-based approach, that could help drastically reduce the poaching of rhinos.
By introduicing harmless amounts of radioactive isotopes into their horns, researchers aim to make them more detectable when crossing international borders, which should decrease their demand on the market. It came from a discussion with friends about two, two and a half years ago. We were looking at other ways, some people had tried to put poison into horns, others tried dye, Those haven t worked very well. So someone said, why don t we try putting radioactive materials into those? Prof. James Larkin, Director of the Radiation and Health Physics Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand told Euronews.
19 May 2021
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A new international project to use nuclear science-based techniques to drastically reduce rhinoceros poaching has been launched in South Africa. The Rhisotope Project was initiated by the University of Witwatersrand in collaboration with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Colorado State University (USA), Russian nuclear company Rosatom and the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa as well as global scientists, researchers, rhino owners and veterinary surgeon and rhino expert William Fowlds.
(Image: Rhisotope Project)
The project will investigate introducing harmless amounts of radioactive isotopes into the horn of a rhino with the aim of decreasing the demand for rhino horn on the international market as well as making it more detectable when crossing international borders.