Rat-ical hero: Landmine detection rat Magawa wins gold medal for ‘life-saving’ work in Cambodia

Magawa has been awarded a gold medal by a UK veterinary charity for his “life-saving” work in Cambodia where he detects landmines. (Photo: PDSA)
By Ainslee Asokan
25 Sep 2020 11:25AM
(Updated: 25 Sep 2020 12:16PM)
An African giant pouched rat named Magawa has been awarded a gold medal by a UK veterinary charity for his “life-saving” work in Cambodia where he detects landmines.

Magawa has so far discovered 39 landmines and 28 items of unexploded ordnance in his seven-year career.

The gold medal is engraved with the words, "For animal gallantry or devotion to duty" and recognises "animal bravery and exceptional devotion to duty", said charity group PDSA.

Rats like Magawa, whose official job title is HeroRAT, have been trained to detect landmines.

There are an estimated 80 million landmines around the world which are lying active and unknown, said PDSA.

In Cambodia alone, since the 1970s, about 4 to 6 million landmines were laid, with about 3 million still undiscovered.

According to PDSA, these hidden mines have caused 64,000 casualties.

Cambodia has the highest number of mine amputees per capita in the world, with more than 40,000 people.

“Cambodia's people work and live with the threat of injury and death every single day,” PDSA said.

This is where rodents like Magawa can help.

Magawa can safely detect landmines and is light enough to walk over one without setting it, said PDSA.

Magawa began training from a young age after being bred by a charity group in Tanzania, APOPO, for the purpose of detecting these explosive devices.

He was trained using a clicker when he approached an object with the scent of the explosive chemicals used in landmines. He would then be rewarded with treats.

Magawa can search the area of a tennis court in 30 minutes – something that would have taken a human with a metal detector up to four days, PDSA said.
Full article: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/as ... a-13145546

A Hero’s Retirement Party Awaits This World-Famous, Medal-Winning Rat
Magawa, who saved Cambodia from 71 landmines will now live out the rest of his life in peace — eating bananas and peanuts.
by Heather Chen
June 4, 2021, 7:26am

Magawa with his trainer Malen. Photo courtesy of APOPO

A famous landmine-hunting “hero rat” will retire this month due to old age after a stellar five-year career in which he located 71 mines and 38 pieces of unexploded ordinance in Cambodia, according to the charity that cares for him.

But it has made enormous progress in recent years thanks to brave Cambodian deminers, aid for programs, and innovative training methods. Small animals like Magawa, a 7-year-old giant African pouched rat, have also played a big part.

Born in Tanzania and trained by Belgian non-profit organization APOPO, which teaches African giant pouched rats to detect landmines and even diseases like tuberculosis, Magawa rose to international fame in September when he was awarded a gold medal by the British charity People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), the animal equivalent of the George Cross.

He became the first rat in the charity’s history to receive the prestigious award.

APOPO confirmed that Magawa was not suffering from health issues other than a minor “paw injury” and said he would live out the rest of his life eating bananas and peanuts in their kennels. A retirement party was also being planned.

His handler Malen said: “Magawa’s performance has been unbeaten. He is small but he has helped save many lives but he is slowing down and has been taking longer naps recently so we need to respect his needs.” [Magawa is 7 years old.]
She added that she would miss working with him very, very much.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7be5x/ ... retirement

Now there's a good news story

Interestingly, this African rat is 7 years old and presumably has a few more years left in him. Domestic/pet rats have a maximum lifespan of 4 years and most die in 2-3 years. Often from tumours but I guess that's due to selective breeding.

Any good news stories are welcomed therapy ATM. "I'd like to thank my family of 14 million. I have been plagued with questions so to cut a long tale short, it took a lot of pestistance. Rats Rule!"

Just checking it isn't April 1st

Well done that rat

Great rat on a stick bbq in Poipet.

Biffsm wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 10:36 pm Great rat on a stick bbq in Poipet.

This rat is a sweet pea.

Go for his eyes Magawa

It's an excellent story, I agree, well done that rat.
Quote - Magawa can search the area of a tennis court in 30 minutes – something that would have taken a human with a metal detector up to four days, PDSA said.
Also, in his five-year career in which he located 71 mines and 38 pieces of unexploded ordinance in Cambodia, according to the charity that cares for him.
Let's also see the true facts here too, an animal life is not the same has losing human life or casualties. It also shows how tedious and time consuming this dangerous work has always been. How the de-miners who risk their own life daily in their momentous task to rid the life takers just beneath Cambodian soil that has taken and maimed so many civilians over the years. All the brave personnel whom are in the field de-mining should all receive a medal for their dedicated work.

^Totally agree with what Andy says. It's a cute story to say that the rat is a hero, but he doesn't know that he could blow up at any minute, he just does what he was trained to do. The real heros are the people who got this program going and then trained the rats.
Too much respect.

Hero rat, Magawa, dead at 8

A landmine-hunting rat that was awarded a gold medal for heroism for clearing ordnance from the Cambodian countryside has died, his charity said on January 11.

Magawa, a giant African pouched rat originally from Tanzania, helped clear mines from about 225,000sqm of land – the equivalent of 42 football pitches – over the course of his career.



https://phnompenhpost.com/national/demi ... awa-dead-8