Rhinoceroses hanged upside down from choppers by researchers to examine effects on animals

One of this year's Ig Nobel awards went to an experiment in which rhinoceroses were hanged upside down to examine what effect they had on the animals. There were other teams as well among the grantees, some that were studying the germs in chewing gum clinging to sidewalks and others how to manage cockroaches on submarines.

Study on airborne rhinos

According to a report by BBC, Wildlife veterinarian Robin Radcliffe of Cornell University and colleagues did just that in Namibia to see if the animals' health was jeopardised when they were hanged by their legs beneath a chopper. It's a technique that's increasingly being employed in African conservation efforts to move rhinos between fragmented habitat areas.

According to Robin, no one has done the fundamental inquiry to see if the tranquillized animals' hearts and lungs could deal with being upside-down. Namibia was not the first country to use helicopters to flip rhinoceros upside down, but they were the first to take a step back and say, "let's investigate this and figure out, you know, is this a safe thing to do for rhinos?" he told BBC News. The animals, it turns out, handled the situation admirably. In fact, there was evidence that the rhinos performed better in this atypical position than when they were lying flat on their backs or on their sides.

The teamgets Ig Nobel prize

Due to COVID restrictions, the ceremony could not take place at its regular location of Harvard University in the United States. Instead, all of the enthusiasm took place over the internet. Annals of Improbable Research, a science humour magazine, claims that its Ig Nobel awards should make you laugh first, then make you think.

The prizes were presented on the night by real Nobel laureates, including Frances Arnold (chemistry, 2018), Carl Weiman (physics, 2001), and Eric Maskin (physics, 2001). (economics, 2007). "We are always seeking for grant financing," Robin Radcliffe said with a grin when asked what he'd do with his "cash" reward.

Pete Morkel, a team member and wildlife doctor, said that this has had a significant impact on rhino and, to a lesser extent, elephant relocation. It is now acceptable to pick up these large creatures by their feet. The next step is to conduct studies on additional animals such as buffalo, hippopotamus, and possibly a giraffe.

Image: Pixabay