Angola deploys giant rats to detect landmines
Angola has deployed giant rats to identify mine explosives in many parts of the country.
These rats, known as “hero rats,” are helping to clear landmines that were laid during the country’s 27-year civil war.
The rats, like Baraka, are trained to find buried explosives. During their work, they are strapped into small harnesses connected to long lines. An animal handler in mine protection gear stands at each end of the line while the rat runs across areas where landmines may be buried.
When a rat finds something, it stops, sniffs intensively, and scratches the earth. This signals that it has discovered a mine. Numbered tags are then placed at the edge of the field to mark the position of the explosives, so human demining experts know where to defuse them.
Belgian organisation Apopo which is at the forefront of this initiative currently has 12 giant rats working in Angola’s Cuanza Sul province. These rats save lives by making areas safe for people to cultivate their fields, search for firewood, and allow children to play outdoors without fear.
The use of these rats is crucial as they work faster and more effectively than humans. A landmine expert with a metal detector might take two days to clear 200 square meters, risking their lives in the process but a rat can do the same job in just half an hour.
The rats are also very light, weighing a maximum of 2 kilograms and as a result, do not trigger anti-personnel mines.
Every rat used in minefields undergoes rigorous training for six to eight months and is tested regularly, ensuring accuracy, The Star quoted DPA.
The initiative has contributed significantly to clearing landmines in Angola.
Apopo's rats are also used in other countries with severe landmine issues, including Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Zimbabwe.
Angola is still working towards meeting its target of defusing all mines by the end of 2025 despite the introduction of these giant rats. The latest Landmine Monitor report indicates that almost 70 square kilometres of area with landmines still need to be cleared in Angola. 107 people were killed or injured by landmines in 2022.
Globally, around 110 million landmines remain buried in 70 countries. The United Nations reports that as many as 2,000 people are killed or injured by landmines every month, most of them civilians and many of them children.
