Warning horn
In an effort to make them useless to poachers, researchers are implanting radioactive isotopes into the horns of rhinos in South Africa.
The unusual material would “render the horn useless… essentially poisonous for human consumption,” James Larkin, professor and dean of science at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, told me. Agence France-Presse.
The isotopes would also be “strong enough to activate detectors installed worldwide,” Larkin added, referring to hardware originally installed to “prevent nuclear terrorism.”
And in case you’re wondering, the ‘two little radioactive chips in the horn’ pose no risk to the health of the animals or the local environment, making it an elegant solution to a very real problem.
Ex Tincture
Rhino horns are in huge demand for use in traditional medicine, especially in Asia, despite no scientific evidence to support their supposed therapeutic effects. They can be worth more by weight than gold or cocaine.
According to AFPIn 2023, 499 rhinos were killed, an increase of 11 percent from 2022. Although three species of rhino remain critically endangered, fortunately Africa’s white rhinos have made a remarkable recovery after once being considered extinct, thanks in large part to conservation efforts. attempts. According to the report, there are approximately 15,000 rhinos in South Africa.
Radioactive rhino
Previous attempts, including poisoning or painting the horns, have so far failed. Since the 1980s, conservationists have even resorted to deliberately dehorning rhinos to protect them from poachers.
“We get a lot of criticism because we saw with a chainsaw,” said Vanessa Duthé, a PhD student at the University of Neuchâtel and a specialist in black rhino conservation. To discover last year, “but it’s the best way, the fastest way [to dehorn].”
However, Larkin is optimistic about his latest effort. He and his colleagues plan to implant radioactive isotopes into twenty rhinos.
“Maybe this is the thing that will stop the poaching,” he said AFP. “This is the best idea I’ve ever heard.”
More about rhinos: This rideable rhino robot looks absolutely amazing
