Ronin the Rat Sets a New Record!
Ronin is a smart rat. He found more than 100 landmines in Cambodia. This is more than another rat, Magawa, who found 71 landmines back in 2020.
Ronin works with Apopo. It is a group from Tanzania. They train 104 rats to find landmines. These rats are called “HeroRATS.”
The Guinness World Records said Ronin’s work is very important. He is helping people stay safe from landmines.
What is a landmine?
A landmine is a bomb. It is put under the ground. It explodes when someone steps on it or when a car goes over it. Landmines are cheap and small. The military uses them in war to stop enemies or protect places.
Landmines stay dangerous for many years. Some work even after 50 years. In 2023, landmines hurt 5,757 people. Many of them were children.
Landmines also stop people from using large patches of land. They are placed in big groups, called minefields. These areas are not safe. People can neither grow food or trees on such land nor can they set up factories.
Apopo says 110 million landmines are still under the ground in 70 countries. Cambodia has many people who lost arms or legs because of landmines. The country still has 4 to 6 million landmines.
Why do rats find landmines?
Rats are smart and fast. They can smell landmines. They are also very light, so they do not set off the landmines. This makes them perfect for the job!
The rats walk in lines and scratch the ground when they smell a landmine. A machine takes four days to check a big area. A rat can check the same area in 30 minutes. Rats also help find diseases like tuberculosis.
Thank you, Ronin the Hero Rat!
