MAGAWA THE HERO RAT RETIRES FROM JOB DETECTING LANDMINES

Magawa the rat, who was awarded a gold medal for his heroism, is retiring from his detecting landmines job.


In these five-year career, the rodent sniffed out 71 landmines and dozens more unexploded items in Cambodia.However, his master says the seven-year-old African giant pouched rat show aging sign and she will "respect his needs".

 

Magawa has been training to detect landmines by the Belgium-registered charity Apopo since 1990s, which based in Tanzania and known as Hero Rats. These animals are certified after going through one year of training.

 

Early this month, Apopo announced new batch of young rats had been assessed by the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) and passed "with flying colours".

 

Magawa, will stay in post for a few more weeks to "mentor" the new recruits and help them settle in.

 

Last September, Magawa was awarded a PDSA Gold Medal -  described as the George Cross for animals - for his "life-saving devotion on duty". He was the first rat to receive such medal over 77-years of charity history.

 

He weighs 1.2kg (2.6lb) and is 70cm (28in) long. Far larger than many other rat species, yet is still small and light enough that he does not trigger mines if walks over it.

 

The rats are train to detect chemical compound within the explosives, meaning they ignore scrap metal and can search for mines more quickly. Once they find any possibility of explosive, they will scratch the top to alert their human co-workers.

 

Magawa is capable of searching a size of tennis court in just 20 minutes, which Apopo commented a human being with a metal detector will takes about one to four days.

 source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57345703

MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL HOLDING
Casa by Meridian, Ovest Tower, Unit B04-01
No. 1, Harvard Street, Diamond Island, Tonle Bassac,
Chamkamorn, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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