As part of a pilot project in South Africa, researchers injected 20 rhinos with small radioactive doses. The dose is small enough that it doesn’t hurt the rhinos, but large enough that it would trigger airport security. They call it the ‘Rhisotope Project’.

The Rhino Horn Black Market

Rhino populations are in big trouble. The western black rhino and northern white rhinos have recently become extinct in the wild. And it’s mostly because of poaching. Other species, like the black rhino, are slowly recovering numbers thanks to conservation efforts. But everywhere you look, poaching is a huge problem for rhinos.

“Every 20 hours in South Africa a rhino dies for its horn. These poached horns are then trafficked across the world and used for traditional medicines, or as status symbols,” says Professor James Larkin from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“This has led to their horns currently being the most valuable false commodity in the black-market trade, with a higher value even than gold, platinum, diamonds and cocaine. Sadly, rhino horns play a large role in funding a wide variety of criminal activities globally,” says Professor James Larkin. “Ultimately, the aim is to try to devalue rhinoceros horn in the eyes of the end users, while at the same time making the horns easier to detect as they are being smuggled across borders.”

The poaching situation is desperate. Patrolling the areas and enforcing the safety of rhinos is extremely challenging. So, researchers are looking at other ways to dissuade poachers — like making it difficult for them to take the horns out of the country.

The Rhisotope Project

This is why Professor Larkin and his team have started a new pilot project. They’ve carefully sedated 20 rhinos and drilled a small hole into their horns, inserting non-toxic radioisotopes. The rhinos were released under close veterinarian supervision and the researchers have ensured that the radioactive isotopes are not strong enough to damage the rhinos.

“Each insertion was closely monitored by expert veterinarians and extreme care was taken to prevent any harm to the animals,” says Larkin. “Over months of research and testing we have also ensured that the inserted radioisotopes hold no health or any other risk for the animals or those who care for them.”

The isotopes are, however, strong enough to trigger border warnings. The idea is to take advantage of the radiation detection portals that already exist at international borders. These will affect not just airports, but also harbors and land crossings. Isotopes will serve as a long-lasting marker that the authorities can easily pick up. For now, the approach will only be used in rhinos, but the goal is to also expand it to elephants, pangolins, and other at-risk flora and fauna.

The approach aims to bring one extra hurdle and risk for poachers, and the fact that it could be effective in a variety of species is particularly promising.

“This is an example of how cross-disciplinary research and innovation makes a real difference. This novel approach pioneered by Prof Larkin and his colleagues has the potential to eradicate the threat of extinction our unique wild-life species , especially in South Africa and on the continent,” says Professor Lynn Morris from the same University.

Some Limitations

Not everyone is a fan of the approach, however, Pelham Jones, chairperson of the Private Rhino Owners Association, says the method is unlikely to actually deter poachers and traffickers because they avoid border crossings anyway.

“(Poachers) have worked out other ways of moving rhino horn out of the country, out of the continent or off the continent, not through traditional border crossings,” he said. “They bypass the border crossings because they know that is the area of the highest risk of confiscation or interception,” Jones told the AP.

Ultimately, stopping poaching won’t have a silver bullet approach. A mixture of different measures will likely be necessary. While the radioactive isotope method may not be foolproof, it represents one of several innovative strategies being explored to combat poaching. Increased surveillance, stronger law enforcement, community engagement, and education about the true value and conservation importance of rhinos are also crucial components in this fight.

Enforcing animal safety on the ground is also important, as is reducing demand as much as possible. In the long term, only by reducing the market for illegal wildlife products and making it more challenging and risky for poachers and traffickers to operate can we help rhino populations can recover and thrive once more.