NEWS

• A South African university has launched the Rhisotope Project, a groundbreaking initiative to combat rhino poaching by injecting radioactive isotopes into rhino horns.
• The isotopes are harmless to the animals but detectable by customs officials and international radiation detectors.

HIGHLIGHTS

Project Details

• Led by the University of the Witwatersrand, in collaboration with nuclear experts and conservationists.
• Initial trials involved 20 rhinos; the official launch began with 5 rhinos receiving isotope injections.
• The isotopes are administered in low, safe doses—enough to trigger radiation alarms at airports and border crossings.

Scientific Findings

• Testing confirmed the safety of the isotopes for rhinos.
• Even a single treated horn can set off global nuclear security detection systems.

Purpose & Impact

• Aimed at deterring poachers and smugglers by making illegal trade more detectable and risky.
• Treated horns remain traceable even within 40-foot shipping containers.

Global Rhino Population Crisis

• Rhino numbers have plummeted from 500,000 in the early 1900s to just ~27,000 today.
• South Africa, home to ~16,000 rhinos, loses around 500 rhinos each year to poaching.

Call to Action

• The university urges private wildlife reserves and national conservation authorities to adopt the Rhisotope method in the fight to protect endangered rhinos.