Did you know rats are being used in landmine ridden countries to save lives? Yes, a rat can save your life. These rats are nicknamed “Sniffer Rats”, in which they are used to sniff for landmines. Due to their body size, specifically their weight, they are the perfect animal to sniff a mine out and not detonate it, even though it is a large rat.

Sniffers are used in countries that are filled with landmines. These devices are normally left over from a war or skirmish, making even walking in the grass a huge risk. In Mozambique and Tanzania, these animals that are considered to be pests by most of the world, are a saving grace in the safety of the people that are affected by the land mines.

The training method for Sniffers is a fairly simple process. It is called Clicker Training and is based on a reward system. The device used is a simple clicker. While in training Sniffer will be taught to sniff out the microscopic components that make up a land mind. When they find mine components they will begin to dig, in which the handler clicks the clicker and the rat comes back to him. The process between the rat digging and click must be instant, just in case the rat dug too far and somehow set the mine off. The rat is rewarded every time it finds a mine with a small piece of its favorite food. Clicker training can be done with any domesticated animal.

An agency that specializes in training sniffers is called the APOPO. The APOPO states:

“APOPO utilizes a local resource, the African Giant Pouched Rat (Cricetomys gambianus) for its detection technology. Using these rats as detectors is advantageous due to their efficiency in this role, and their acute sense of smell. Other benefits include their low cost for husbandry & maintenance, ease of transport and their wide availability. It has also been shown that once trained, they can reliably carry out repetitive tasks. Moreover, it is an appropriate tool since it does not depend on high tech equipment or highly skilled labour, increasing its accessibility in the countries of operation.”

These rats are a large part of the mine clearing in Africa. It’s an innovative way of thinking, in which both human and animal work together. Next time you think, “Ewww, what a pest!”, at the pet store, just remember that little rat’s cousin is helping save lives.

Note:

To learn more about that APOPO and how they work, click here.

Interested in learning more about the African Giant Pouched Rat?

Click for more information on the Mozambique and Tanzania.