As we never received any of the Dutch/Swedish Postcode Lottery funding, the decision to return a portion (10%) of the larger amount received by PPF was made by them alone. Their motivations for doing so (as well as the whereabouts of the remaining 90% of the funding) are unknown.

We can categorically state, however, that this decision was not based on the efficacy of infusion as a poaching deterrent, nor on any technical “teething problems” the procedure may have experienced at the time. As an RRP development partner, PPF was well aware of the experimental nature of our work and the legal limitations on our own research as early as August 2013. (In fact, PPF secured our cooperation in their fundraising bid by committing to assist us with our research going forward). However, the funds were returned in September 2014 – more than a year later, and only after public pressure to implement horn infusions mounted.