Apopo's African giant pouched rats, including Rat Daniel, are trained for search-and-rescue missions and landmine detection.

Rat Daniel, part of a cohort of elite "rescue rats" at Tanzania's Apopo training centre, is trained to navigate wreckage and find trapped survivors. Since the early 2000s, Apopo's African giant pouched rats have also used their acute sense of smell to detect landmines and TB in sputum samples. The rats, who receive peanuts as payment, are now set to become search-and-rescue specialists.

June 15, 2024
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