In a groundbreaking effort to deter poachers, researchers in South Africa are implanting radioactive material into the horns of rhinos to make them worthless for illegal trade by rendering them dangerous for human consumption.

Notably, the tiny radioactive chips pose no risk to the health of the rhinos or the local environment, making this a potentially smart solution to a significant problem.

“The unusual material would render the horn useless… essentially poisonous for human consumption,” a professor and dean of science at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, James Larkin, said to Agence France-Presse.

The isotopes are potent enough to trigger detectors worldwide, originally designed to prevent nuclear terrorism, Mr. Larkin said.

Rhino horns are highly sought after, particularly in Asia, for their purported medicinal properties, despite a lack of scientific evidence supporting such claims. The horns can fetch prices higher than cocaine or even gold by weight.

The situation for rhinos is dire. In 2023, 499 rhinos were killed, marking an 11 percent increase from the previous year.

While three species of rhinos remain critically endangered, white rhinos in Africa have shown a remarkable recovery thanks to conservation efforts, with an estimated 15,000 rhinos currently residing in South Africa.

Efforts to protect rhinos have included poisoning or painting their horns to deter poachers, but these methods have proven ineffective. Conservationists have even resorted to dehorning rhinos, a practice that has been in use since the 1980s.

“Maybe this is the thing that will stop poaching,” Mr. Larkin told AFP. “This is the best idea I’ve ever heard.”