Apopo is a non-profit organization dedicated to clearing landmines using rats.
In 1995, Bart Weetjens, a Belgian and rat enthusiast, came up with the idea. After four years of research and training, they found a successful formula: the rats could detect explosives.
In Cambodia, due to the Vietnam War and the civil war with the Khmer Rouge, many regions still contain unexploded bombs. These have caused the deaths of 19,000 people after the war and left another 51,000 severely injured, half of whom were children. It is believed that millions of bombs still remain in Cambodia.
Thanks to Apopo and the hero rats, areas can be cleared more quickly, allowing people to be safe again. To date, 7,316 landmines have been destroyed, along with 43,156 UXOs (unexploded ordnance).
The African giant pouched rats can clear an area the size of a tennis court in 30 minutes, whereas this would take four days with metal detectors.
Rats are too light to trigger the bombs, are intelligent and easily trainable, have a very strong sense of smell, and live for up to eight years.
Fortunately, many countries have now signed a treaty banning the use of anti-personnel mines.
