‘Making these rhino horns more detectable provides a simple solution for horn tracking when they are smuggled across borders because 10 000 to 11 000 radiation detectors are installed at seaports, airports and other security checkpoints,’ said Professor James Larkin speaking to Getaway while the project was still in the research phase in 2022.
After three years of meticulous research and preparation, the team has successfully inserted these radioisotopes into 20 rhinos.
The Rhisotope Project team believes this non-lethal solution will significantly reduce the demand from end-users and help save rhinos from the threat of extinction. Professor James Larkin, director of the Wits Radiation and Health Physics Unit (RHPU), describes the project as uniquely South African but acknowledges the collaborative efforts of academics worldwide and the SA Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA).
‘This is what we would call a pilot project, so we are now going to watch these animals very closely for six months, and then bright and breezy early next year we will say to the world, here we are we’d like to help you protect your animals from predations and poachers,’ he told EWN
Launched in January 2021 as a South African-based conservation initiative, the Rhisotope Project aims to become a global leader in using nuclear technology to protect endangered species and local communities. Besides combating wildlife trafficking, the project seeks to provide education and social upliftment, particularly empowering girls and women in rural communities, thereby creating rhino ambassadors and champions.
Pioneered in the UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, the project benefits from existing global nuclear security infrastructure, which includes over 11 000 radiation detection portal monitors and thousands of trained personnel. This sophisticated infrastructure contrasts with the limited resources available for detecting wildlife trafficking at international ports. Professor James Larkin highlights the severe impact of poaching, noting that a rhino is killed every 20 hours in South Africa for its horn, which is then trafficked globally for traditional medicines or as status symbols.
Watch the video below for more information on the project:
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