In a groundbreaking move to combat the illegal wildlife trade, South African scientists are injecting rhino horns with a radioactive isotope to help customs officials detect them at international borders.
The picture is a screenshot from a BBC video
Developed by a team from the University of the Witwatersrand, the initiative—known as the Rhisotope Project—has been years in the making. The team says the radioactive compound is completely harmless to the rhinos but can trigger detection systems commonly used for nuclear materials, as reported by the BBC.
South Africa is home to the largest population of rhinos in the world, yet it also bears the brunt of poaching. According to Save the Rhino, more than 400 rhinos have been killed for their horns annually since 2021.
“At least one animal a day is still being poached,” said Professor James Larkin of Wits University, who is involved in the project. “I think the figures are only going to go one way if we don’t watch out… this is a significant tool to help reduce the numbers of poaching, because we’re proactive rather than being reactive.”
The project, which cost around £220,000 ($290,000), has taken six years to develop. A pilot study involving 20 rhinos confirmed the process poses no threat to the animals. Notably, the team found that the treated horns could be detected even when concealed inside full 40-foot shipping containers.
The research was conducted in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency, lending the project global credibility.
Jamie Joseph, a well-known South African conservationist and founder of the organisation Saving the Wild, praised the initiative as both “innovative and much needed.”
“It’s not the endgame—only better legislation and political will can bring an end to the rhino crisis. But it will certainly help disrupt the flow of horns leaving the country and help experts better map out the illegal channels by providing reliable data,” she told the BBC.
The ultimate goal, says Rhisotope Project lead Jessica Babich, is large-scale implementation.
“Our goal is to deploy the Rhisotope technology at scale to help protect one of Africa’s most iconic and threatened species,” Babich said. “By doing so, we safeguard not just rhinos but a vital part of our natural heritage.”
African rhino horns are often trafficked to Asian markets, where they are used in traditional medicine and prized as symbols of wealth and status. While white rhinos are listed as threatened, black rhinos are critically endangered—making anti-poaching innovations like this all the more urgent.
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