I live and work in NYC, so when I encounter one of my many rat neighbors on the street or in the subway, they’re typically one of two species: Rattus norvegicus or Rattus rattus. Whenever I see either, they’re plenty big for my tastes. But at mere ounces each, they pale in comparison to Cricetomys gambianus, the Gambian or African giant pouched rat. Those babies weigh three pounds! They also are known to have bad eyesight, which means they’ve developed a superior sense of smell to compensate. Just how well do they smell? The critters can be trained to sniff about 2,000 square feet for landmines in only 30 minutes, and that’s just what the Belgian nonprofit APOPO does. (By comparison, it would take us humans closer to four days to clear the same area.) Originally founded in the 90s, today APOPO deploys its “Hero Rats” all over the world to detect landmines in record time, saving countless lives in the process.
Meet APOPO: APOPO is a global nonprofit organization that trains African giant pouched rats to protect people. The animals are taught to sniff out landmines and detect tuberculosis. With Belgian roots, the organization now spans the globe, including a visitor center in Cambodia. Megan d’Ardenne and Alex Lee, both from the United Kingdom, recently visited the center in Siem Reap. “[The rats are] chosen because of their highly developed sense of smell and lightweight,” d’Ardenne told the AP. “A rat can clear an area the size of a tennis court in just 30 minutes, whereas a human using a metal detector will take four days.”
Vermin no more: While African giant pouched rats are larger rodents, they are still lightweight enough not to trigger the undetonated mines they find. APOPO trains the animals to detect the scent of the mine’s explosives and ignore the smell of scrap metal, saving significant time when the rats are out in the field clearing areas. “It’s changed our opinion on rats completely. Before, we regarded them as vermin and an animal you’d see running in alleys or in bins,” d’Ardenne said. “Now, we’ve reshaped our mindset and are impressed to see their sense of smell trained and utilized for the greater good.” She added: “The rats used by APOPO are truly heroes!”
Training a hero rat: During their visit, the travelers captured a video of one of the rats training in a sandbox. A trainer removes a rodent from a box labeled “Nina” and brings it around for guests to meet. Next, Nina is wearing a harness connected to a series of ropes. Nina then explores the sand until finding a metallic ball. According to APOPO’s website, it takes about nine months to one year to train one of its rats fully. The process starts with clicker and scent training, followed by field training before graduating to fieldwork. If a rat detects an unexploded landmine, a deminer will confirm its existence and safely detonate it.
Tribute to a fallen hero: In 2020, an APOPO rat named Magawa received one of the highest distinctions an animal could receive. The PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals) awarded Magawa its Gold Medal, which is reserved for heroic animals. He was the 30th recipient of the prize and the first rat to win. In January 2022, Magawa died at 8 years old. “During his career, Magawa found over 100 landmines and other explosives, making him APOPO’s most successful HeroRat to date,” the organization wrote on Instagram following his death. “His contribution allows communities in Cambodia to live, work, and play without fear of losing life or limb.”
I’m not crying over Magawa’s commendation, you are! But truly, “He was the 30th recipient of the prize and the first rat to win,” is tails down one of the greatest sentences I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Thank you for your service, Magawa! You set the mold for Nina and all the other trainees to live up to. What a lovely reminder that rats are here for more than just eating our scraps and scaring the sh-t out of reality TV stars. This is science at its best: being used to work creatively with other species of this planet… to undo the harm our one species has wrought. At least when it comes to landmines. While I don’t believe humans are responsible for the origins of tuberculosis, the humans who’ve seized control of the US government and have kneecapped USAID, those guys definitely bear responsibility for the recent comeback TB has made worldwide. I sure hope the current f–kery in the US doesn’t keep APOPO and its Hero Rats from their life-saving work.