In a groundbreaking achievement, a five-year-old African giant pouched rat named Ronin has made history by becoming the first rodent to unearth more than 100 landmines and other hazardous remnants of war in Cambodia. The charity, Apopo, which specializes in training these remarkable animals, confirmed that since 2021, Ronin has discovered 109 landmines and 15 unexploded ordnance items.
The legacy of Cambodia's civil war, which lasted approximately two decades and concluded in 1998, has left the country littered with millions of unexploded munitions. This ongoing threat poses a daily risk for the local population, who live in constant fear of potential landmine accidents. The Guinness Book of World Records has recognized Ronin's vital contribution, emphasizing the profound difference he is making in enhancing the safety of communities.
Apopo, headquartered in Tanzania, boasts a roster of 104 trained "HeroRATS." These skilled rodents are adept at detecting the chemical signatures of landmines and other explosive devices. Their small size allows them to navigate hazardous areas without the risk of triggering detonations—a significant advantage over human operatives using metal detectors. Remarkably, these rats can assess a space equivalent to a tennis court in approximately 30 minutes, a task that might take a human up to four days.
In addition to their demining capabilities, these remarkable rats are also employed in detecting tuberculosis, allowing for quicker diagnosis compared to traditional lab procedures. Training each rat requires roughly one year to ensure they are proficient in their dangerous yet life-saving tasks.
Ronin, working in the northern Preah Vihear province, has surpassed the previous record set by Magawa, another HeroRAT who detected 71 landmines and received a gold medal for bravery in 2020. Since its inception 25 years ago, Apopo has successfully cleared a staggering 169,713 landmines and explosives globally, with over 52,000 being removed from Cambodia alone. The organization also extends its life-saving expertise to countries impacted by conflict, including Ukraine, South Sudan, and Azerbaijan.
Despite these efforts, estimates indicate that Cambodia still has between four to six million landmines and unexploded ordnance buried beneath its soil, presenting an ongoing challenge in the quest for safety and recovery.
