Rhino horns made 'radioactive' to tackle poaching

This new project is aiming to protect rhinos as they're on the brink of extinction

South African scientists have injected radioactive material into live rhino horns for the first time.

While it may sound like something out of a sci-fi film, it's being done to make them easier to detect at border posts.

The country is home to a large majority of the world's rhinos and is a hotspot for poaching.

Poachers can get a lot money for horns on the black market where the price by weight rivals that of gold. The horns are used in traditional medicine in places like Asia.

But by injecting them with this material, the horns can't be consumed by humans. A conservationist has called it "the best idea" when it comes to anti-poaching.

How does the radioactive substance work in rhino horns?

The rhinos are carefully looked after by the team

James Larkin from the University of the Witwatersrand has been in charge of the project. He said that he injects "two tiny little radioactive chips in the horn".

The rhino is put to sleep for the injections, so it doesn't feel any pain. This is being carried out at the Limpopo rhino orphanage in the Waterberg area of the country.

The radioactive dose makes the horn poisonous for humans.

However, Mr Larkin says that the dose it still low enough that it does not impact the animal's health or the environment in any way.

The team will take follow-up blood samples to ensure the rhinos are effectively protected.

The material is set to last five years, which the scientists say is cheaper than dehorning the animals every 18 months. This is when the horn is trimmed to reduce its value to poachers.

How will the rhino horns be found?

The rhino horns are sprayed after having the chips put in

There are 20 rhinos taking part in the Rhisotope project. Mr Larkin says they'll be administered a dose "strong enough to set off detectors that are installed globally" at international border posts.

So if a poacher tries to transport a horn with the radioactive chip in it it can be detected.

Border agents often have handheld radiation detectors to find illegally imported goods. There are also thousands of radiation detectors installed at ports and airports that will be alerted by these chips.

How many rhinos are being poached?

Around 15,000 rhinos live in the southern African nation, according to an estimate by the International Rhino Foundation.

In February the country's environment ministry said that, despite government efforts to tackle the illegal trade, 499 rhinos were killed in 2023, mostly in state-run parks. This is an 11 percent increase from 2022.

According to Arrie Van Deventer, the orphanage's founder, dehorning the rhino and poisoning the horns have failed to put poachers off so far, but he thinks this could be about to change.

"Maybe this is the thing that will stop poaching", he said. "This is the best idea I've ever heard."