“Each insertion was closely monitored by expert veterinarians, and extreme care was taken to prevent any harm to the animals,” said Larkin. “Over months of research and testing, we have also ensured that the inserted radioisotopes hold no health or any other risk for the animals or those who care for them.”
To determine what level of radioactive material would be safe for a rhino, Larkin and collaborators used different approaches during their investigations.
A detailed computational model of a rhino’s head was created, and the potential doses of radiation were calculated.
Then, they applied their findings to 20 real rhinos at The Rhino Orphanage in the Limpopo province of South Africa.
If the program is successful, elephants, pangolins, and other commonly poached animals and plants may be included as well. The goal is to eliminate these species from the black market and improve wildlife conservation.
Rhinos, in particular, are crucial to their ecosystem. They consume large amounts of vegetation, helping to shape the African landscape.
The poaching of rhinos is not just a danger to the species itself, but it also is a threat to the environment and culture of South Africa.
“Every 20 hours in South Africa, a rhino dies for its horn,” Larkin said. “These poached horns are then trafficked across the world and used for traditional medicines or as status symbols. This has led to their horns currently being the most valuable false commodity in the black-market trade, with a higher value even than gold, platinum, diamonds, and cocaine.”
According to the International Rhino Foundation, 499 rhinos were killed in South Africa last year. It is estimated that only 16,800 white rhinos and 6,500 black rhinos are still living. South Africa is home to the majority of these rhinos.
