RATS Trained to Sniff Out Landmines
Most people view rats as nothing more than pests, but one organization regards the critters as heroes. APOPO, an African-based non-profit, trains African Giant Pouched Rats to sniff out unexploded landmines.Organizers hope the rodents, or HeroRATS, will eventually be deployed across the globe as a cost-effective method to safely and efficiently detect and detonate hidden landmines.In order to learn how to sniff out mines, rats are trained from a young age to associate the smell of explosives with receiving a treat (usually a piece of banana or a peanut). Once they can successfully detect mines, rats are harnessed and attached to a long string being held at both ends by trainers. Rats move along the line, sniffing at the ground. If a rat detects explosives, it sits still and scratches itself. Soil samples can also be brought to the rats. If a rat does detect explosives in the ground, the mines are safely detonated by humans
