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Perhaps you did not know, but to protect us from human nature itself, that capable of generating the most absolute chaos, most of the main airports and ports, including those of South Africa, already have the infrastructure necessary to detect radioactive material. So that? To detect nuclear weapons. Thus, in theory, we avoid smuggling between countries. In a twist, science has just found in this infrastructure a solution for stop poaching.
Radioactive horns. The news is as surprising as it is true: a group of South African scientists has been injecting radioactive material directly into the horns of living rhino. The idea: make them easier to detect in border stalls. Behind the project is the Radiation and Physics of Health (RHPU) of Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg.
Why the horns. Of course, the enclave where it is happening is not trivial. South Africa houses a Most of the planet’s rhinoceros And, as such, it is a critical point for poaching driven by, and here comes the key, demand from Asia. Yes, there the horns They use in traditional medicine for its supposed therapeutic effect (not tested).
As Professor James Larkin explained, who runs the project, “every 20 hours in South Africa a rhinoceros dies from his horn.” In fact, before this amazing script, trying to save the rhino with another unexpected movement: investing in bonds.
Not only that. The researchers indicate that the smuggling of these horns has currently made them “the most valuable false product in the black market, with a value even greater than that of gold, platinum, diamonds and cocaine. These horns hunted furtively are trafficked throughout the world and are used for traditional medicines or as status symbols”, They assure.
Radioactivity injection process. Under the name Rhisotope Projectresearchers are drilling low doses of radioisotopes in the horns of 20 sedated rhinos whose health will be monitored over the next six months. We talked about two small radioactive chips in the horn zone that are then “finished” by spraying 11,000 microputs in the area.
In the long term. If it succeeds, the program could be extended in the long term to include elephants and pangolines, as well as other plants and animals, According to the university. The material, in principle, would last five years on the horn, which “was cheaper than removing it every 18 months.”
“Each insertion was closely supervised by expert veterinarians and there was very care to avoid any damage to animals,” Explain Larkin. “During months of research and evidence, we have also ensured that inserted radioisotopes do not involve any risk to health or any other risk for animals or for those who take care of them.”
Poison for humans. In essence, once the radioactivity dose is inserted, the consumption by means of the products made with the horns will make them “essentially poisonous for human consumption,” they count at work. Be that as it may, the main objective is none other than identifying the smuggling attempts, to be able to be, before they leave the country.
How the alarm jumps. Apparently, this infrastructure found in many airports works more or less simple. Anyone who tries to pass the radioactive horns would sound the alarms and a police response would be activated. By the way, scientists remember that the process is not harmful to animals, since the dose of the radioactive material is so low that it does not affect the animal’s health or the environment in any way.
Figures that have led to the situation. Last February, the country’s Ministry of Environment said that, despite the government’s efforts to combat illegal trade, 499 of these giant mammals died in 2023most in state parks. In figures, it represents an increase of 11 percent compared to those of 2022.
To get an idea of This sad realitywe talk about figures of up to $ 60,000 per kilo, which explains why the rhinoceros horn remains one of the most lucrative illegal markets.
Image | Witts University, Martin Pettitt
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*An earlier version of this article was published in June 2024
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