Now that's the face of a proud rat.
ApopoBig congratulations are in order for Magawa, an African giant pouched rat just awarded a gold medal for "life-saving bravery" for his work detecting dangerous land mines.
Born in Tanzania in 2014, Magawa has since age 2 enjoyed a highly successful career detecting land mines in Cambodia. So far, he's found 39 land mines and 28 items of unexploded ordnance, according to Apopo, a global nonprofit started in Belgium that trains rats for humanitarian work such as sniffing out land mines and tuberculosis.
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Magawa's impressive record makes him Apopo's most successful working rat, or "HeroRat," to date. It also makes him the first rat in UK animal charity PDSA's 77-year history of honoring critters to win a coveted PDSA Gold Medal . Other animals to get the award have included dogs, horses, a pigeon and a cat, all of whom have showed gallantry, usually in protecting their human companions.
"Apopo's HeroRats significantly speed up land mine detection using their amazing sense of smell and excellent memory," explains Apopo CEO and co-founder Christophe Cox. "We use clicker training to teach rats like Magawa to scratch at the ground above a land mine." That method teaches the student rats, who are trained in Tanzania, to distinguish between scrap metal and explosives by offering them rewards whenever they correctly find the right target scent.
A HeroRat trained by Apopo out in the field sniffing for land mines.
ApopoApopo was established in response to research showing the detection of land mines to be the most expensive, tedious part of the global land mine problem.
"Rats are fast," Cox says. "They can screen an area of 200 square meters in half an hour, something which would take a manual deminer four days." So far, Apopo hasn't had any accident with the rats, he says, as they're too light to trigger a mine.
According to Apopo, people in 59 countries from Angola to Cambodia live in fear of land mines and other deadly remnants of past conflict that threaten their personal safety, make critical agricultural land unsafe to access and cut off trade and other routes.
Cambodia alone estimates that between 4 million and 6 million land mines were laid in the country between 1975 and 1998. These mines have caused over 64,000 casualties.
More rodent research
African giant pouched rats, common to Sub-Saharan Africa , can grow to be up to 3 feet long, including the length of their tail. Unlike domestic rats, they have cheek pouches like hamsters have. Apopo's HeroRats usually retire between ages 7 and 8.
Magawa received his mini medal Friday via a live video linking Cambodia and PDSA representatives the UK. In the video, Magawa can be seen looking extraordinarily cute (like, Remy-level Pixar-cute ) wearing his new symbol of heroism on a blue ribbon around his neck. He's also seen at work in the field and snuggling with his handler So Malen.
"I am so proud because Magawa is a great partner for me," Malen says.
Besides a high-profile award, what else can one get a rat deserving of all good things? A gift certificate for a tickle session might be a solid start.
Land mines litter Angola after decades of war
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from Via PakapNews