Magawa has cleared more than 141,000 square meters (1.5 million square feet) of land, the equivalent of some 20 soccer fields, sniffing out 71 land mines and 38 items of unexploded ordnance.
This undated file photo provided by the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals shows Cambodian landmine detection rat, Magawa, wearing his PDSA Gold Medal, the animal equivalent of the George Cross, in Siem, Cambodia. After five years of sniffing out land mines and unexploded ordnance in Cambodia, Magawa is retiring.
“Although still in good health, he has reached a retirement age and is clearly starting to slow down,” APOPO said. “It is time.” While many rodents can be trained to detect scents and will work at repetitive tasks for food rewards, APOPO decided that African giant pouched rats were best suited to land mine clearance because their size allows them to walk across mine fields without triggering the explosives — and do it much more quickly than people. They also live up to eight years.
In retirement, Magawa will live in his same cage as before and follow the same daily routine, but won’t be going out to the minefields anymore, said Lily Shallom, an APOPO spokeswoman, contacted by phone at the organization’s operational headquarters in Tanzania.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Hero rat' Magawa retires after five years spent sniffing out landmines in CambodiaMagawa the 'hero rat,' whose work sniffing out landmines in Cambodia won him a medal for life-saving bravery, is retiring after a distinguished five-year career.
Read more »
'Hero rat' Magawa retires after five years spent sniffing out landmines in CambodiaMagawa the 'hero rat,' whose work sniffing out landmines in Cambodia won him a medal for life-saving bravery, is retiring after a distinguished five-year career.
Read more »
Heroic Rat Who Sniffed Out 71 Deadly Landmines RetiresMagawa the African giant pouched rat cleared the equivalent of 20 soccer fields in Cambodia during his five-year career.
Read more »
'Hero rat' who sniffed out dozens of landmines is retiringMagawa helped find 71 landmines and clear the size of nearly 32 soccer fields in his career.
Read more »