This year Mozambique is set to be declared landmine-free for the first time in nearly fifty years. The twist? APOPO use three feet-long giant rats to sniff out the mines buried deep underground.
The giant Gambian pouched rats go through nine months of gruelling training, learning to sniff out the TNT in old landmines buried underground.
The rats are the largest of their kind in the world – the same size as a domestic cat – have an excellent sense of smell and are quick learners. They are also light enough to walk over the mines without setting them off.
After training the rats are able to detect the smell of explosives. Picture: Sylvain Piraux
Once the rats have finished their training APOPO, supported by the UK's Department for International Development, send them to Mozambique to start work on the minefields. One trained rat can search an area 14 times larger than a human mine clearer per day, hunting explosives and scratching at the ground to raise the alert.
Rats can cover up to 14 times more minefield than a human per day. Picture APOPO
