Mine-Sniffing Rat Gets a World-First Statue
Cambodia has honored one of its tiniest but most heroic figures: a rat. Magawa, a landmine-detecting rat who helped clear dangerous explosives from the country’s soil, was celebrated with a stone statue in Siem Reap on Friday, just ahead of the International Day for Mine Awareness. The statue is thought to be the first in the world dedicated to a rat trained to detect landmines. Ly Thuch from the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority said the monument “sends a message that even the smallest actors can leave a lasting mark.”
Magawa, an African giant pouched rat trained by the Belgian nonprofit Apopo, discovered more than 100 landmines and other explosives between 2016 and his retirement in 2021. Over his career, he cleared land equivalent to roughly 20 soccer fields. He passed away in 2022 at the age of eight, according to the BBC.
In 2020, Magawa received the PDSA Gold Medal—the highest award for animals involved in life-saving work—the first time a rat had ever earned the honor. Apopo’s “HeroRATS” are trained to detect explosives, tuberculosis, and other hazards using their extraordinary sense of smell. Their light weight allows them to sniff out deadly devices without setting them off.
While Magawa and another rat named Ronin, who has since surpassed Magawa’s record, have made remarkable contributions, Cambodia still faces a serious challenge: over a million people live on land contaminated with mines. Authorities hope that, with continued help from these extraordinary animals, the country will be officially mine-free by 2030.
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