The medal, awarded on Friday, praised Cambodia’s “bravery in saving lives and dedication to duty” for its work in finding land mines in Cambodia. Recipient: A rat named Magwa.
Magwa is the first rat to receive the award – the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, a gold medal awarded by a British charity, commonly known as the “George Cross of Animals” after the honor bestowed on citizens who recognize acts of bravery and heroism. .
Magawa discovered 39 landmines, 28 unexploded ordnance and helped clear more than 1.5 million square feet of land in the last four years, as the fictional mouse from the 2007 Pixar-Disney film “Rattouille” did not. They have done a lot to challenge the opinion of their people, who are usually seen roaming the sewers and subways.
“Megawa’s work directly saves the lives of men, women and children and is affected by these land mines,” said Jane McLaughlin, the charity’s director general, who presented the award at the online ceremony. “Every discovery he makes reduces the risk of injury or death for locals.”
“Megawa’s dedication, skill and bravery is an outstanding example of this and deserves the highest recognition possible,” Ms. Said McLaughlin.
It is estimated that more than five million land mines were laid in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge and the settlement of internal conflicts in the 1980s and 1990s. A 2019 report by the Congressional Research Service found that parts of the country were also devastated by US airstrikes during the Vietnam War.
Since 1979, more than 64,000 people have been injured by landmines and other explosives in Cambodia, and there have been more than 25,000 boycotts, according to the Hello Trust, the world’s largest humanitarian land mine clearance charity.
Larger than average rats, Magawa, African-year-old African giant pouch rats are part of a “hero rate” initiative run by the Belgian nonprofit Apopo, which operates in Southeast Asia and Africa. .S.
The most successful rat participating in the program, Magwan, was trained to detect the chemical compound TNT in explosives. The ability to smell TNT makes it faster than anyone in the search for land mines, as it can ignore scrap metal that would normally be picked up by a metal detector.
It can detect a tennis court size area in 30 minutes, while a person with a metal detector will usually take four days to find that size area. When he finds a mine, he signals his handler by scratching the earth above him. Unlike humans, the Magawa mine is much lighter to explode, so the risk of injury is lower.
Christoph Cox, Apopo’s chief executive, said rats like Magwa “significantly accelerated land mine investigations using their amazing sense of smell and excellent memory.” “This not only saves lives, but returns much-needed safe land to communities as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.”
The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals has been giving awards for animal feats for 77 years, and justice is done by a panel of directors and trustees of the charity.
However, Magawa’s illustrious career may soon be over, as Apopo estimates that his “hero rats” have been working in the field for four to five years, after which they are given a full retirement from sports and exercise.
For now, PDSA spokeswoman Emily McCallum said mice could line up to get more food bonuses.
He said, “I hear it’s partial for bananas and peanuts, so I’m sure he’ll get to eat a few extra things.”
