Southern Africa has begun the injection of rhino genes with radioactive materials

• The University of Witwatersrand has started the injection of rhino genes with radioactive isotopes.
• The project aims to reduce the population of rhinos due to poaching.
• Tests confirmed the safety of radioactive material for animals.

MOKOPANE, Southern Africa. On Thursday, the Southern African university launched a campaign against poaching, within which rhino genes are being injected with radioactive isotopes that, according to the developers, do not harm the animals, but can be detected by poachers.

As part of a joint project between the University of Witwatersrand, representatives of nuclear energy, and environmental protectors, on Thursday, injections were conducted on five rhinos, with the hope of mass introduction of injections to reduce the population of rhinos.

Last year, nearly 20 rhinos in the western region received injections as part of preliminary trials that paved the way for the project launch on Thursday. Radioactive isotopes, even at low levels, can be detected by radiation detectors at airports and borders, which can lead to the arrest of poachers and traffickers.

Researchers from Witwatersrand confirmed that the tests conducted during pilot studies showed that radioactive material does not harm the animals. "We demonstrated, without scientific doubts, that the process is absolutely safe for the animals and effective for detecting poachers through border detection systems," said James Larkin, the lead scientist of the Rhisotope project.

Larkin also noted that "even one region with lower levels of radioactivity than those that will be used in practice successfully worked on signal detection of radiation detectors." Tests confirmed that other regions could also be detected even inside 40-foot containers for transportation.

The international union of environmental protectors estimates that the global population of rhinos at the beginning of the 20th century was around 500,000, but has decreased to approximately 27,000 due to ongoing demand for rhino horns in the black market. Southern Africa has the largest population of rhinos with around 16,000, but the situation remains critical with high levels of poaching, with nearly 500 rhinos killed in their regions each year.

Owners of rhinos, both private and state, as well as conservation organizations, have turned to the university for injections for their rhinos.

Tags: Ecology/Research