Protectionists are giving rhino radioactive horns to save them from poachers

James Larkin said it is much easier to inject radioactive isotopes into vibrant rhino horns than it sounds.

“You basically drill a hole in the horn, put the carefully selected radio isotope on the horn in a few places, then seal it, reverse it, and then send the rhino for the next five years,” he told him. happen Guest host Paul Hunter.

“It’s easy. It’s done in a few minutes and dusted.”

Larkin is the chief scientific officer of Rhisotope Project, a project aimed at protecting South Africa’s endangered rhino by making its horn radioactivity.

He said the dose was too weak to pose any risk to the animals, but was strong enough to issue a nuclear safety system alert at international border crossings. The purpose is to stop people from poaching rhinos and catch those who do it.

Scientists who are not involved in the project welcome innovative efforts to protect endangered animals, but stress that this work is not enough to save them.

Low dose proves safe

The Rhisotope project is a collaboration between nuclear energy officials and conservationist scientists, in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Witwatersrand University in South Africa, where Larkin is director of the Radiation and Health Physics Department.

“I saw enough animal videos that were dismembered…hey, maybe I could use my background to do something with it.”

First, they have to make sure it works and is safe for rhino, he said.

So, over the past six years, he and his colleagues have been testing the idea, first performing computational modeling in the lab to determine the safest effective dose, and later in the field, they injected 20 black and white rhinos in rhino orphanages in Limpopopo province, South Africa.

He said follow-up studies of rhino showed that radiation had no negative impact, which he said was the person who performed three CT scans per year in humans.

“No, it won’t hurt animals, no, they won’t shine in the dark,” Larkin said.

However, the radiation is strong enough to set up radiation detectors at airports and other border crossings.

“For years, these detectors have been installed around the world in ports, airports and places like this to prevent illegal movement of radioactive materials, due to the threat of nuclear terrorism,” Larkin said.

“So we stand on our shoulders in many ways. The system is there. The operating procedures are there. So we just say: Let’s use it to help reduce trafficking in rhino horns.”

The goal is not only to catch people in the trafficking corner, but to stop other poachers from trying.

“By using already installed nuclear safety infrastructure in novel ways, we can help protect one of the most iconic and endangered species in the world.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Mariano Grossi said the project shows how to “use nuclear science in new ways to meet global challenges”.

“By using already installed nuclear safety infrastructure in novel ways, we can help protect one of the most iconic and endangered species in the world,” he said in a UN press release.

This is one of several new ways to protect rhino in recent years. A study published last year also showed rhino Among the eight reserves, poaching volumes decreased by 78% over the seven-year period.

Despiral does not affect the health or reproductive ability of animals, but A 2023 study found that this could affect their behaviormaking them socialized less and reducing the size of the house scope.

Hundreds of rhinos killed every year

The Rhisotope project has already injected five rhinos outside the original trial team, but hopes their work will be able to perform large-scale injections nationwide. They encourage private wildlife park owners and national conservation authorities to sign.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimated that the global population of rhino was about 500,000 in the early 20th century, but has now fallen by 27,000 due to the continued demand for rhino horns on the black market.

South Africa has the largest population of rhinos, with an estimated 16,000 people, but the country kills about 500 rhinos each year due to its horns.

Rhino Horn can earn up to $60,000 in the U.S. ($82,000 CDN) on the black market, Larkin said. It is sometimes used in traditional medicines in Asian countries, but Larkin says its main purpose is to serve as a symbol of wealth and status.

“Now, it can show off to your friends and business colleagues,” he said.

Berger said he hoped the method would be adapted to other highly poached egg animals and said he had spoken with conservationists who worked hard to protect elephants, who were scattered for purse fish and those wearing horns were chasing their scales.

Wildlife ecologist Joel Berger, who is not involved in the project, welcomed the program.

“I learned black and white rhino in Southern Africa and watched the horrible losses of poaching, and now – about 30 years later – it’s incredibly that new technologies have been tested in an attempt to thwart illegal trade,” Berger told the Canadian situation in an email.

“Radical isotopes implanted in implanted corners to enhance detectability of cross-border smuggling corners provide hope to capture greedy marketers of innocent icons in the world.”

He said that, despite this, it is not enough to save rhino. He said authorities also need to crack down on criminal networks that keep the rhino horn trade alive.