In South Africa, 20 rhinos have recently had radioactive material injected into their horns. The ground-breaking project aims to reduce poaching. – We do this because it becomes significantly easier to detect horns that are attempted to be smuggled across international border crossings. That’s what Professor James Larkin, who leads the research project in South Africa, says. The radioactive substance will be detected by radiation detectors when it crosses international border crossings. The hope is to uncover, arrest and deter the poachers and smugglers. An anesthetized rhino has its horn sprayed to mark that it has been injected with radioactive material. Scientists hope the initiative will deter poachers. Photo: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP Rhino horns are very valuable on the black market. Demand is higher than for gold, platinum, diamonds and cocaine. This has resulted in a drastic decline in the rhino population over the past century. At the beginning of the 20th century, the global rhino population was around 500,000, according to the World Conservation Union. Today, the population has been reduced to around 27,000 individuals. On average, one rhinoceros is killed every day in the hunt for the coveted horn. The photo shows confiscated horns in India before they are burned. Photo: Biju BORO / AFP Dies for its horn – Every 20 hours in South Africa a rhinoceros dies for its horn, says Larkin. South Africa has the majority of the world’s rhinos, an estimated 16,000 individuals, and is the country hardest hit by poaching – with 500 rhinos killed each year. – We have to do something new and something different to reduce poaching, says Professor James Larkin, who leads the research project in South Africa. Photo: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP The country experienced a significant decrease in rhino poaching during the pandemic. When the restrictions were eased, the numbers increased again. The horn is in high demand in Asian countries such as China and Vietnam. There it is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Rhinoceros Rhinoceros are large, powerful animals with broad, rectangular bodies and short, thick legs. They have large oblong heads with horns on the bridge of their noses. All rhino species have one or two distinctive horns. Rhinos’ horns are made of compressed keratin (like nails) and grow throughout their lives. The largest rhinos can have front horns that are up to two meters long. Species: There are five extant species of rhinoceros. All five species of rhinoceros have been greatly reduced in number, and are extinct in large parts of their former distribution areas. White rhinoceros: The largest species, weighing up to 3,600 kilograms and can be 3–5 meters long. Indian horn: Second largest, weighs up to 2,700 kilograms and has a maximum length of 3.8 metres. Javanese horn: Similar to the Indian horn, but is smaller with a weight of up to 2300 kilograms. Black rhinoceros: Can weigh up to 1,350 kilograms and reach a length of 3.8 metres. Sumatran rhinoceros: The smallest species, with a body length of 2–3 meters and a weight of 600–950 kilograms. Source: Store norske lexikon There is also a belief in western countries that the horn can be used as an aphrodisiac. But the horn consists of creatine – exactly the same as our hair and nails. This has resulted in researchers at the University of the Witwatersrands in South Africa thinking completely new in the fight against poachers. Radioactive horns The new research project, in which both veterinarians and nuclear experts participate, begins with the animal being anesthetized. Then a hole is drilled into the horn, and nuclear material is carefully introduced. Larkin assures that the operation does not harm the rhino itself. – We have carried out thorough basic research which shows that there is no movement of the radiation dose from the horn back to the body, says the professor. The dosage of the radioactivity is very low. Its potential negative impact on the animal was tested extensively, according to the researchers. Each injection was closely monitored by expert veterinarians and “extreme care” was taken to prevent harm to the animals. Photo: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP – Ultimately, the goal is to try to reduce the value of the rhino in the eyes of the end users, while making the horns easier to detect when they are smuggled across borders, says Larkin. The project has been ongoing for three years, and the injection itself is the “final phase” of the research project. A team of experts will now monitor the health of the rhinos over the next six months to determine the viability of the new approach. Published 12.07.2024, at 11.34
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Radioactive rhinos to prevent poachers in South Africa – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
