Ronin the Remarkable: Landmine-Sniffing Rat Shatters Records in Cambodia

Ronin has set a new benchmark for landmine detection in Cambodia, highlighting the vital role of trained animals in demining efforts.

 

In a significant breakthrough for landmine clearance, a five-year-old African giant pouched rat named Ronin has made headlines by becoming the first rodent in history to discover over 100 landmines and explosive remnants of war. Since beginning his work in 2021, Ronin has unearthed a total of 109 landmines along with 15 items of unexploded ordnance, confirming the essential contributions of these remarkable creatures. The charity Apopo, which trains and utilizes such animals, proudly announced this achievement.

Cambodia continues to grapple with the lingering effects of a decades-long civil war that officially concluded in 1998, leaving the landscape riddled with millions of unexploded munitions. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Ronin's exceptional efforts are making a tangible difference for locals facing constant danger in their lives. The charity emphasizes that having trained rats conduct these searches alleviates the fear of inadvertent landmine triggers in everyday activities.

Apopo operates from Tanzania and has a cadre of 104 specially trained rodents, affectionately termed HeroRATS. These agile animals are adept at detecting the specific chemicals found in landmines without the risk of ignition due to their lightweight bodies. The organization highlights that while a human employing a metal detector might take up to four days to survey an area the size of a tennis court, Ronin can complete the task in just 30 minutes.

Additionally, these remarkable rats also possess the capability to diagnose tuberculosis much more swiftly than traditional lab methods. Each rodent undergoes approximately one year of rigorous training to hone their detection skills, ensuring they are fully prepared for their life-saving missions.

Ronin's groundbreaking performance in Cambodia's northern Preah Vihear province has eclipsed the previous record held by Magawa, another heroic rat, who located 71 landmines and was awarded a gold medal for bravery in 2020. Since the founding of Apopo 25 years ago, the organization has successfully cleared 169,713 landmines and related explosives across the globe, with over 52,000 of these located in Cambodia alone. Other nations impacted by war, such as Ukraine, South Sudan, and Azerbaijan, also benefit from Apopo's work.

Despite the ongoing demining initiatives, estimates suggest that between four to six million landmines and unexploded munitions are still buried deep within Cambodia's landscapes, emphasizing the critical need for continued efforts in this field.