In different parts of the world, rats are helping to save lives — and not in the figurative sense. For more than two decades, APOPO has been training Gambian hamster rats to detect landmines and diagnose tuberculosis. These animals, known as HeroRATs, are deployed in countries across Africa and Asia where the problem of mined areas and under-surveying for TB is still a major concern.
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Gambian hamster rats weigh less than a kilogram, so they do not activate mines when they run over them. They are trained to recognise the smell of explosives, and when they smell it, they signal their trainer. On average, one rat can check an area in a day that would take a sapper several days.
In the medical field, HeroRATs detect tuberculosis by analysing sputum samples. In the laboratories where they are used, the rate of TB detection increases by 40% – the rats recognise samples of the pathogen even where conventional laboratory equipment can give a false negative result.
APOPO has been developing these areas since 1997, relying on science-based training methods and international partnerships. The organisation operates in countries such as Tanzania, Mozambique, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and others. Each rat undergoes a special training programme and, after many years of service, retires, receiving care and comfort for a well-deserved rest.
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