Rhino Horn Poaching Impeded with GPS Tracking and Innovative Injection

15 Jan 2013

Non-lethal injections combined with GPS tracking technology helps protect Rhinos to deter rhino horn poachers.

Rhinos are Endangered

Rhinos are considered an endangered species –  with estimates of only about 20,000 left in Africa and Asia. However, hundreds of them being killed each year in an attempt to poach and sell their horns.

Value of Rhino Horns

At roughly $1,400 an ounce, powdered rhino horn costs more per ounce than gold  The reason rhino horn powder is so valuable is because in Asia and other area, it is used for medicinal purposes and as a narcotic. Rhino horns are largely made up of keratin, the same protein substance that makes up fingernails and hair.

Rhino Poaching

The poaching of rhinos has led to an increase of deaths each year. In 2009, 122 rhinos were killed. The number rose to 333 rhinos in 2010 and 388 rhinos in 2012. These deaths are in South Africa alone, where approximately 80% of the world’s population exist. Between 2007 and 2012, the world count has gone from 17 killed to over 500 killed. Even scarier is the fact that a number of different people are involved in poaching rhinos including pro hunters, game capturers, game farmers, rhino hunters, South African safari operations, and even veterinarians.

Stopping the Rhino Poaching

In an effort to stop killing these innocent animals, the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve has developed a unique strategy of lowering the market value of their horns. The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, located in Johannesburg, South Africa, has started the Rhino Rescue Project. They are using a variety of methods for preventing poaching and tracking the rhinos, all of which will not harm the rhinos. The methods include indelible dyes, DNA sampling, GPS tracking microchips and veterinary drug injections.

The Reserve is hoping to stop the poaching in its tracks through non-violent means. “We have developed what we believe to be one of, if not the only, proactive initiative to combat the scourge of rhino poaching. Our mission is to provide a sustainable, cost-effective defensive strategy to protect rhinos in South Africa and elsewhere from poaching … there is no more time to waste,” reports the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve website, it states:

One of the methods is proving to be effective, which is the injection of an indelible dye that is brightly colored. It is the same dye used to mark bills in banks if a theft was to occur. The horns are injected with this dye, which causes no harm to the rhinos, but will keep the poachers from being able to profit from the horns.

In the same rhino horns, a GPS tracking microchip will be inserted followed by a non-lethal poison that is harmless to the rhino but causes convulsions and nausea to humans who attempt to smoke the powder. The GPS tracking device enables real-time tracking and location of the rhino horn using the same technology as GPS tracking systems used for other purposes, like GPS vehicle tracking.

“Not a single treated animal has been poached since administration of the treatment.” said the Reserve.The Reserve has had great results so far, as thieves become aware of the poisoned rhino horns.

The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve and Rescue Project want to make it aware that their intention isn’t to harm consumers. They simply want to prevent the killing of these innocent animals. In order to stop poaching, they have to poison the horns, which bring in up to a million dollars each. The Reserve also plans to use another poison in the future, called ectoparasiticides, which is also not harmful to the rhino or their ecosystem, but causes severe illness for humans. This makes it useless in its powdered form which will deter criminals from poaching the endangered animals.

The injections, indelible dye, and GPS tracking will hopefully prevent the rhino poachers from killing these animals and keep them from going extinct.


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