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An African giant bag rat named Magawa has received a gold medal from a UK veterinary charity for his work “saving lives” in Cambodia, where it detects landmines.
Magawa has so far discovered 39 landmines and 28 unexploded ordnance in his seven-year career.
The gold medal is engraved with the words “For animal bravery or devotion to duty” and recognizes “animal bravery and exceptional devotion to duty,” said charity group PDSA.
Rats like Magawa, whose official job title is HeroRAT, have been trained to detect landmines.
There are an estimated 80 million landmines worldwide that are active and unknown, PDSA said.
In Cambodia alone, since the 1970s, about 4 to 6 million landmines have been laid, and about 3 million have yet to be discovered.
According to PDSA, these hidden mines have caused 64,000 victims.
Cambodia has the highest number of mine amputees per capita in the world, with more than 40,000 people.
“The people of Cambodia work and live with the threat of injury and death every day,” PDSA said.
This is where rodents like Magawa can help.
Magawa, whose official title is HeroRAT, has been trained to detect landmines. (Photo: PDSA)
Magawa can safely detect landmines and is light enough to walk over one without exploding it, PDSA said.
Magawa began training at a young age after being raised by a charity group in Tanzania, APOPO, for the purpose of detecting these explosive devices.
He was trained using a clicker when approaching an object with the smell of explosive chemicals used in landmines. Then he would be rewarded with treats.
Magawa can search the area of a tennis court in 30 minutes, something that would have taken a human with a metal detector up to four days, PDSA said.
When he detects a landmine, Magawa signals his handler.
“On a daily basis, the work of HeroRAT Magawa saves and changes lives and has a direct impact on the men, women and children in the communities in which it works,” the group added.
READ: Demining Dogs Will Receive ‘World’s First’ Hero Retirement
“For every unexploded landmine or remnant it finds, it eradicates the risk of death or serious injury in places that are already in dire straits.”
Magawa began training from an early age after being raised by a charity group in Tanzania, APOPO, for the purpose of detecting mines. (Photo: PDSA)
During his career, he has helped clear more than 141,000 square meters of land, the equivalent of 20 soccer fields, PDSA said.
“HeroRAT Magawa will continue to make Cambodia safe until he retires to his ‘home cage’.”
Magawa is the only rat among the 30 animals that received the PDSA gold medal; the rest are dogs.
