Rhinos now have radioactive horns to fight off poachers
Scientists are making rhino horns radioactive in a scheme to combat poachers.
The initiative in South Africa, which involves injecting radioactive material into horns, will both enable them to be tracked and make the prized objects less desirable to poachers.
Under the Rhisotope Project, rhinos are sedated during the procedure before a small amount of radioisotopes is inserted into a hole drilled into their horns.
A pilot phase in June 2024 saw 20 rhinos successfully injected with the radioactive material, which will allow authorities to trace illegal trade with the use of existing nuclear security infrastructure.
Making horns radioactive will also make them a liability to those who wish to smuggle them overseas, as the metal will set off detectors at ports and airports.
James Larkin, Director of the Radiation and Health Physics Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand said that the process would make rhino horns unsuitable for sale globally.
'No one wants a radioactive horn', he said.
Arrie Van Deventer, founder and director of the rhino orphanage, said that the scheme could be a 'holy grail' for the species.
'It is wonderful, I am telling you, this could be the holy grail to save the species', he said.
Around 500 rhinos are killed for their horns each year in South Africa, home to 80 per cent of the world's population.
A total of 105 were killed in the first quarter of 2025 alone, the ministry of forestry, fisheries and the environment said.
Poachers sell horns to traffickers who in turn send them to lucrative overseas markets, including China and Vietnam.
A typical rhino horn can be sold for more than its weight in gold at $60,000 per kilogram.
The global rhino horn black market is now worth an estimated $20billion. More Trending
The use of nuclear technology could also be used to help protect other endangered species, including elephants and pangolins.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said: 'Radiation portal monitors were not initially envisioned as rhino savers.
'They are a cornerstone of nuclear security detection infrastructure… The Rhisotope Project means this technology will now also help combat illicit wildlife trafficking.'
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Rhinos now have radioactive horns to fight off poachers
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Scientists are making rhino horns radioactive in a scheme to combat poachers. The initiative in South Africa, which involves injecting radioactive material into horns, will both enable them to be tracked and make the prized objects less desirable to poachers. Under the Rhisotope Project, rhinos are sedated during the procedure before a small amount of radioisotopes is inserted into a hole drilled into their horns. A pilot phase in June 2024 saw 20 rhinos successfully injected with the radioactive material, which will allow authorities to trace illegal trade with the use of existing nuclear security infrastructure. Making horns radioactive will also make them a liability to those who wish to smuggle them overseas, as the metal will set off detectors at ports and airports. James Larkin, Director of the Radiation and Health Physics Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand said that the process would make rhino horns unsuitable for sale globally. 'No one wants a radioactive horn', he said. Arrie Van Deventer, founder and director of the rhino orphanage, said that the scheme could be a 'holy grail' for the species. 'It is wonderful, I am telling you, this could be the holy grail to save the species', he said. Around 500 rhinos are killed for their horns each year in South Africa, home to 80 per cent of the world's population. A total of 105 were killed in the first quarter of 2025 alone, the ministry of forestry, fisheries and the environment said. Poachers sell horns to traffickers who in turn send them to lucrative overseas markets, including China and Vietnam. A typical rhino horn can be sold for more than its weight in gold at $60,000 per kilogram. The global rhino horn black market is now worth an estimated $20billion. More Trending The use of nuclear technology could also be used to help protect other endangered species, including elephants and pangolins. Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said: 'Radiation portal monitors were not initially envisioned as rhino savers. 'They are a cornerstone of nuclear security detection infrastructure… The Rhisotope Project means this technology will now also help combat illicit wildlife trafficking.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Cat named Leonardo da Pinchy terrorises town by stealing people's underwear MORE: You could have the cutest job in the world and become a duck-crossing warden MORE: Zoo kills 12 baboons because there wasn't enough space
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
Rhino horns injected with radioactive material to deter poachers
Rhinos in South Africa will have their horns injected with radioactive material to deter poachers. A team from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) said the rhinos would not be harmed by a process that would allow smuggled horns to be tracked across the world. Hundreds of the animals are poached every year in South Africa, which has the largest rhino population in the world. The Rhisotope Project, which cost about £220,000, involved six years of testing and research, according to those involved. James Larkin, a Wits professor involved in the project, told the BBC: 'At least one animal a day is still being poached. ' 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.' Prof Larkin said the study, which initially involved 20 rhinos, confirmed that radioactive isotopes could be stored inside their horns completely safely. The academics worked with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the project. They found that rhino horns stashed inside fully-sized metal shipping containers could be detected due to the radioactive isotopes – even at low levels. This could lead to the arrests of poachers and traffickers. The project was praised by animal rights activists, including Jamie Joseph, the director of the charity Saving the Wild, who said it was 'much needed'. He said: '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.' Around 500 rhinos were killed for their horns every year in South Africa since 2021, according to Save the Rhino, the conservation charity. Jessica Babich, head of the Rhisotope Project, said: 'Our goal is to deploy the Rhisotope technology at scale to help protect one of Africa's most iconic and threatened species. 'By doing so, we safeguard not just rhinos but a vital part of our natural heritage.' The International Union for Conservation of Nature has estimated that the global rhino population was 500,000 at the beginning of the 20th century but has now declined to 27,000 due to continued demand for rhino horns on the black market.
Metro
3 days ago
- Metro
New fear unlocked after 16-inch stick insect found deep in Australian jungle
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video To anyone with a phobia of insects reading this article, we're so, so sorry. Australian researchers deep in the country's wet tropics have identified a new species of stick insect – and it's absolutely huge. Not only is it about 16in (40cm) long, but it also has a wingspan comparable to a small bird's, and it weighs 150% more than the next-heaviest Australian insect. The new species, named the Acrophylla alta, was found in high-altitude trees in the wet tropics region of Queensland. Professor Angus Emmott from James Cook University, who helped identify the species, said the insect had probably remained undiscovered for so long because of its remote habitat. He told MailOnline: 'They live high up in the rainforest canopy, and accessing that is almost impossible. 'You've got to wait until, for instance, a bird knocks one down or you get a big storm and they get knocked down. It's very, very hard to find them in situ. 'Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that's why they've developed into this large insect over millions of years.' The females of the species, much bigger than the males, weigh around 44grams – much bigger than Australia's next-heaviest insect, the giant wood moth, which weighs in at about 30grams. But despite their large wingspan, Professor Emmott says they're 'not really great flyers' because of their 'heavy bodies' weighing them down. To be able to identify the species, the researchers' next step was finding a male – but because the males are so different to the females, they had been considered a different species of stick insect altogether. There was only one way to be sure the male and female were of the same species, and that was to catch them while mating. Professor Emmott explained: 'You really need to find the male copulating with the female. 'You know what it is then, and you collect the eggs and you can actually ascertain that they're one of the same thing. 'Every species of stick insect has their own distinct egg style. 'They've all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes. Even the caps on them are all very unique.' So, not only did the researchers need to watch the insects have sex, they also needed to snoop on their eggs to make sure they definitely had a brand new species on their hands. A specimen of the Acrophylla alta is now part of Queensland Museum's collection – but it could be one 'untold' numbers of insect species which have gone undiscovered. 'Up here in the tropics, in northern Australia, we've got so many insects that are as yet undescribed,' Professor Emmott said. 'For instance, I've got an undescribed cicada in the garden here that a friend of mine is in the process of describing, and I've been working on the moths up here as quite a number of them are undescribed.' Trying to study the new species has its challenges, as stick insects by nature stay very still during the day to look like, well, sticks, to avoid being eaten by birds. More Trending Researchers end up trekking through the rainforest at night wearing head torches to stand the best chance of seeing them. Because of this, it's also not yet known how long the Acrophylla alta live for. Professor Emmott said: 'We don't actually don't know that yet, but I imagine only a couple of years maximum. 'Because, yes, there's a lot of pressure on them with birds looking for them and eating them all the time, and I guess that's why they're so cryptic.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: I spent four days on a train in the Australian outback — it was my idea of hell MORE: Virginie Giuffre's family ask what Trump really knew about Epstein after his 'stolen' comment MORE: This country will be underwater by 2050 — and people are entering a bleak competition to escape
