In a desperate attempt to turn the tide against rhino poaching, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has opted for a desperate measure of literally poisoning rhino horns in order to render them unusable if the rhino has been poached.
The trial was launched yesterday at the Tembe Elephant Park and Ndumo Game Reserve considered the frontline of future poaching in the province. Both parks in the northern KwaZulu-Natal are on the border with Mozambique.
This pioneering trial rhino horn infusion programme is being funded by the Peace Parks foundation as part of their broader involvement in the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation area that connects protected areas in Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland.
The injection of this poisoned insecticide and the infusion of an indelible coloured dye are the work of Rhino Rescue Project’s two founders, Dr Charles van Niekerk and Dr Lorinda Hern. Both infusions are considered harmless to the rhino.
Dr Van Niekerk said the poison could be safely and relatively quickly injected into the base of the horn, spreading throughout the keratin protein that comprises a horn, making it “extremely toxic” in the event of human consumption. The indestructible dye acts as a warning to end-users that a horn has been contaminated and should not be consumed as well as reducing its aesthetic appeal.
“This dye is visible on an x-ray scanner even when the horn is ground to a fine powder. Airport security checkpoints are almost certain to pick up the presence of this dye,” Van Niekerk said.
At the end of this battle, we should emerge as winners, not the poachers
rhino will have their DNA recorded and transponders inserted.
Speaking at the launch, Ezemvelo CEO Dr Bandile Mkhize said the war against poaching would not be won by poachers. “Through collaboration, the winner will be all of us.
“At the end of this battle, we should emerge as winners, not the poachers,” said Mkhize.
So far, KZN has lost 63 rhinos due to poaching while the Tembe and Ndumo parks combined have lost 11 rhinos.
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