Landmine-sniffing rat awarded gold medal

Belgian aid organisation Apopo announced on 3 June 2021 that HeroRAT Magawa would be retiring this month.

After the little rodent had detected a total of 71 landmines and 38 unexploded ordnances, he had become “a little tired”, said Apopo’s programme manager in Cambodia, Michael Heiman. Life as a retiree was now the best thing for him. Over the past five years, he has helped clear over 225’000 square metres of land so that local communities can live, work, play and receive an education — without fear of losing life or limb.

Too light to trigger a mine

With his detection rate, the rodent is the most successful rat in the organisation Apopo, which also trained him. The rat can search an area the size of a tennis court for mines in just half an hour. Using a metal detector, this would take four days. Magawa himself is too light to trigger a mine.

When the rodent discovers an explosive device, he scratches at the ground with his paws to alert the mine disposal team. He is rewarded with bananas and peanuts. He will continue to receive his favourite foods in retirement.

Dozens of rodents in action

For his extraordinary service, Magawa was awarded the gold medal of the British non-profit animal organisation PDSA on 25 September last year during a live link-up — the equivalent of the British George Cross for human heroes. He is the first rat in the charity’s 77-year history of honouring animals to receive a PDSA medal — joining a line of brave dogs, horses, pigeons and a cat.

Apopo employs dozens of the clever rodents across Africa and Asia to search for landmines and to sniff out tuberculosis. According to the organization, 20 newly trained landmine-detecting rats recently arrived in Cambodia. For them, filling Magawa’s shoes will be a great challenge. «He is a very extraordinary rat», said Heiman. «Of course we will miss him in the field.»