A rat named Magawa, who has died during retirement at the age of eight, sniffed out dozens of land mines over the course of his …
A rat named Magawa, who has died during retirement at the age of eight, sniffed out dozens of land mines over the course of his career in Cambodia. He is believed to have saved lives and has been widely lauded as a hero. „His contribution allows communities in Cambodia to live, work, and play; without fear of losing life or limb,“ the nonprofit APOPO said Tuesday. Magawa retired last year as the most successful explosive-sniffing rat the organization ever trained. His caretakers said he remained playful until last week, when he slowed down and had less of an appetite. Magawa was a Tanzanian-born African giant pouched rat. With careful training, he and his rat colleagues learned to identify land mines and alert their human handlers, so the mines can be safely removed. Even among his skilled cohorts working in Cambodia, Magawa was a standout sniffer: In four years he helped to clear more than 2.
