The Rhisotope Project is an initiative between WITS University, Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation (ROSATOM), Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Colorado State University (USA) together with global scientists, Care for Wild (world’s largest rhino orphanage), researchers, South African rhino owners and one of the best rhino veterinary surgeons in the world, Dr William Fowlds. The aim of the project is to investigate and establish whether it is possible to place radioactive isotopes into the horn of a rhino to curb rhino poaching and significantly lower demand reduction in places such as Vietnam and China, two of the biggest consumers of rhino horn.

This pioneering research is headed up by Professor James Larkin who is Director of The Radiation and Health Physics Unit (RHPU) at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is also the Chairman of the university’s NIH mandated Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and is a past chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN).

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, UK (FRSM), member of the Institute for Nuclear Materials Management, US (INMM), and a founding member of the Southern African Radiation Protection Association (SARPA). Visiting Researcher, King’s College, London.

He is heavily involved in international nuclear security education, and over the past ten years has been to numerous different countries to share his nuclear security knowledge and experiences with national, regional, and international audiences. At Witwatersrand University he teaches various courses in nuclear security, radiation protection, and nuclear facility leadership, and acts as the university’s radiation safety officer.