It’s no secret that here at VOTM headquarters we hold vermin in high regard. But this news story on the BBC Future blog made us sit up and take notice. In Mozambique, giants rats are being used to detect land mines. The rats undergo nine months of intensive training by the Belgian NGO Apopo.
Since Apopo’s rats launched into action in 2006, they’ve successfully cleared more than 6 million square meters of Mozambique’s countryside, uncovering 2,406 landmines, 992 bombs, and 13,025 small arms and ammunitions.
Today’s vermin, tomorrow’s heroes.