Will radioactive chips stop wildlife poaching?
The chips will set off radiation detectors at border control points, alerting authorities of potentially poached material
Scientists injected two radioactive chips into a live rhino's horns at a South African rhino orphanage on 25 June 2024.
The rhino was the first of 20 slated to receive the injection in an effort to stop poaching, which a conservationist at the rhino orphanage called "the best idea I've ever heard."
How the anti-poaching chips work
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Scientists leading the project told the AFP news agency that the chips will do two things: set off radiation detectors at border control points, alerting authorities of potentially poached material; and render the injected horns poisonous for human consumption, depleting their value on illegal markets, where rhino horns are as valuable as gold.
The pilot initiative, called the Rhisotope Project, is led by researchers in the radiation and health physics unit at South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand.
They told AFP that although the radioactive dose is strong enough to set off alarms, it isn't enough to cause damage to the animals themselves or the surrounding environment.
The injection, which will need to be boosted every five years, does not cause the rhino pain, they said.
The researchers said they will follow up with the rhinos over the course of the coming years to ensure they are protected and are not experiencing any adverse effects caused by the radioactive chips.
