Pink Dye Hoax

Revealing the true initiative to protect some of our animals from poachers

Written by: Lee Zeann Christiana

Remember seeing that viral Tumblr post of a rhino with pink horns? Netizens were discussing about the topic, buzzing about how this looks like an effective way to stop poachers. However, the photo was discovered to be digitally altered.

As disappointing as it is to not spot any rhinos or animals with pink horns in the wilderness, it is comforting to see netizens supporting this initiative.

So, what exactly happened?

In April 2013, the Rhino Rescue Project got 100 rhinos from Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa and had their horns drilled, injecting a liquid poison or dye mix into it.

Fret not, the liquid is totally safe for the rhinos and would not affect their health.

The poison is injected in hopes of scaring poachers away as they would not want to sell something toxic to their customers. However, the dye only stains the inside of the horns, unlike what the photo depicts.

An organisation called “Save the Rhino” did their research and came up with the possible reason why dye was used.

In some banks, they would insert dye packs into a stack of banknotes to foil bank robberies. When it is handed to a potential robber and leaves the door frame, the dye pack will explode, ruining the money.

Using this concept, this initiative hopes the pink dye in the rhinos’ horns can be detected by airport scanners, even in different forms, for example, powder.

Sadly, this method may not work as well as intended. Researchers conducted an experiment in July 2014 and found out that the mix does not diffuse in the horn.

This makes it easy for poachers to just get rid of the areas affected and will still be able to sell it on the black market.

Maybe one day, instead of needing these projects to rescue our animals, the demand for the horns would drop. This would stop the poaching and they would be able to roam freely in their habitat.

Hopefully, humans will learn to protect the animals of our earth, like how we protect ourselves.