{"id":10031,"date":"2021-08-09T11:40:27","date_gmt":"2021-08-09T04:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/?p=10031"},"modified":"2023-10-02T14:33:01","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T07:33:01","slug":"apopo-rats-and-the-work-they-do-in-cambodia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/apopo-rats-and-the-work-they-do-in-cambodia\/","title":{"rendered":"APOPO Hero Rats! &#8211; And the Work they do in Cambodia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.22.2&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h2>APOPO: The Hero Rats<\/h2>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10042\" src=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_4004-rat-working-portrait-3.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_4004 rat working portrait 3\" width=\"5069\" height=\"3379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_4004-rat-working-portrait-3.jpg 800w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_4004-rat-working-portrait-3-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_4004-rat-working-portrait-3-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 5069px) 100vw, 5069px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3>Smart Rats<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But did you know that rats are actually extraordinary intelligent animals? <a href=\"http:\/\/www.apopo.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">APOPO,<\/a> a non-profit organization registered in Belgium, train Gambian Giant Rats &#8211; Mine Detection Rats (MDR) better known as heroRATs, to detect landmines by using their amazing sense of smell. Apopo currently does demining work in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, Colombia and since 2015, Apopo started operating in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The heroRATs are doing an amazing job and in October 2017, an Apopo Visiting Center will be open to the public. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We spoke to Benjamin Carrichon, Project Manager at Apopo in Siem Reap, who gave us great insight of their mission here.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 50%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-10031 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-large'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/img_3235-danger-mines-close-up-and-sunset\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_3235-danger-mines-close-up-and-sunset.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Red Warning sign with white scull and crossbones in front of a minefield at sunset\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_3235-danger-mines-close-up-and-sunset.jpg 800w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_3235-danger-mines-close-up-and-sunset-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_3235-danger-mines-close-up-and-sunset-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/img_2806-walking-trainer-with-a-cage\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_2806-walking-trainer-with-a-cage.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"APOPO de-mining rat trainer carrying cage through a field with others in the background\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_2806-walking-trainer-with-a-cage.jpg 800w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_2806-walking-trainer-with-a-cage-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_2806-walking-trainer-with-a-cage-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><strong>What does Apopo do? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apopo uses HeroRATs to save lives by detecting landmines and tuberculosis. Our headquarter is in Tanzania, but in Cambodia, we focus on landmines only. The mine operations are carried out in the Srey Nour Area of Siem Reap, where the land there has not been used in almost 30 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Why Rats?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gambian Giant rats (HeroRATs) are ideal for this task. The are very lightweight which makes them ideal for finding landmines. They simply can\u2019t set them off, but they can easily detect them. Additionally, these giant rats have an incredible sense of smell. So when they are out in the field, they ignore scrap metal that can be found under ground, but are faster in sniffing out and detecting landmines than conventional metal detectors. One rat can scan an area the size of a tennis court in 30 minutes. The average time it takes a team with metal detectors is about 4 days.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To demonstrate how the rats are trained and how it all works, check out \u00a0this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/eos7k2pC7Mg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">video<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video _builder_version=&#8221;4.22.2&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/youtu.be\/eos7k2pC7Mg?si=2X7BqC4KNQ5TPT7E&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.22.2&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p><strong>How many landmines in Siem Reap have been demined so far? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since 2015, we\u2019ve been able to really make an impact in a short time due to the growing partnership we have with <a href=\"http:\/\/cmac.gov.kh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cambodia Mine Action Center <\/a>(CMAC). Last year, the rats helped clear 573,256 square meters across seven minefields. It\u2019s great because now the families who inhabit the land are immediately able to grow crops and look into a sustainable future for themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>How does Apopo care for the rats?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Animal welfare is our biggest priority. Each of our rats is a highly valuable asset. Our rats are really well taken care of. They get the best nutrition, daily exercise, stimulation and enrichment, and loving attention from our team.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 50%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-10031 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-large'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/img_4755-trainer-female-and-rat-portrait\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_4755-trainer-female-and-rat-portrait.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"APOPO de-mining hero rat with female trainer standing in a field\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_4755-trainer-female-and-rat-portrait.jpg 800w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_4755-trainer-female-and-rat-portrait-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_4755-trainer-female-and-rat-portrait-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/img_3532-group-picture\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_3532-group-picture.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"A group of APOPO de-mining hero rats and their trainers standing and kneeling in a field\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_3532-group-picture.jpg 800w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_3532-group-picture-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_3532-group-picture-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>When do rats retire and what happens to them after<\/strong>?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the heroRATs have been demining for long enough now that some of our rats have reached retirement age, which is typically when they reach between 7 and 8 years of age. We allow them to work as long as they are performing well, still feel like working and pass weekly health checks. We notice that the rats are generally enthusiastic to get to work but when they are growing old, some simply don\u2019t feel like getting out of their cage to work anymore. If that happens or when a rat\u2019s performance has declined or it is not healthy enough to continue working, the rat is retired to its home cage. When they are retired to their cages, they continue to receive a healthy diet, are regularly taken out to play and exercise, and continue to receive weekly health checks. If a rat is clearly suffering in its old age or from an untreatable disease, it is humanely euthanized. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What will the new visiting center showcase?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The visiting center is scheduled to open in October and is a space for visitors of all ages to learn more about our mission here in Cambodia. We will provide information boards, showcase different demined landmines, the rats in their living environment, a visitor\u2019s cafe and gift shop, and much more. In addition, we provide the opportunity to meet and speak with a deminer and rat handler. The center will help visitors understand the methodology we use to demine land and therefore bring opportunities to local farmers and we are eager to share our story to the public, to raise awareness, to educate them. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more information, check out their website at <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.apopo.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">www.apopo.org<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and contact the visitor\u2019s center in Siem Reap at <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">visiting.center@apopo.org.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An interview at APOPO Visitor Center to find out about the work they do and why they&#8217;re called &#8220;Hero Rats&#8221;. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":10036,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<h3>RATS.....<\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For most people, they are a nuisance. They are big, scary and harry. They have a long tail, eyes that glow in the dark and are notorious for nibbling on anything and everything. Some even think them a PEST!<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Cambodia, rats are considered just another ordinary animal. People live with them in somewhat close proximity- and as with frogs, you might even find them cooking on the grill in local neighborhoods.<\/span><\/p><h2>And then there are the Hero Rats of APOPO.<\/h2><h3><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10042\" src=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/IMG_4004-rat-working-portrait-3.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_4004 rat working portrait 3\" width=\"5069\" height=\"3379\" \/><\/h3><h3>Smart Rats<\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But did you know that rats are actually extraordinary intelligent animals? <a href=\"http:\/\/www.apopo.org\">APOPO,<\/a> a non-profit organization registered in Belgium, train Gambian Giant Rats - Mine Detection Rats (MDR) better known as heroRATs, to detect landmines by using their amazing sense of smell. Apopo currently does demining work in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, Colombia and since 2015, Apopo started operating in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The heroRATs are doing an amazing job and in October 2017, an Apopo Visiting Center will be open to the public. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We spoke to Benjamin Carrichon, Project Manager at Apopo in Siem Reap, who gave us great insight of their mission here.<\/span><\/p><p>[gallery size=\"large\" columns=\"2\" ids=\"10039,10037\"]<\/p><p><strong>What does Apopo do? <\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apopo uses HeroRATs to save lives by detecting landmines and tuberculosis. Our headquarter is in Tanzania, but in Cambodia, we focus on landmines only. The mine operations are carried out in the Srey Nour Area of Siem Reap, where the land there has not been used in almost 30 years.<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Why Rats?<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gambian Giant rats (HeroRATs) are ideal for this task. The are very lightweight which makes them ideal for finding landmines. They simply can\u2019t set them off, but they can easily detect them. Additionally, these giant rats have an incredible sense of smell. So when they are out in the field, they ignore scrap metal that can be found under ground, but are faster in sniffing out and detecting landmines than conventional metal detectors. One rat can scan an area the size of a tennis court in 30 minutes. The average time it takes a team with metal detectors is about 4 days.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To demonstrate how the rats are trained and how it all works, check out \u00a0this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/eos7k2pC7Mg\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">video<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><p>[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=eos7k2pC7Mg?ecver=1]<\/p><p><strong>How many landmines in Siem Reap have been demined so far? <\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since 2015, we\u2019ve been able to really make an impact in a short time due to the growing partnership we have with <a href=\"http:\/\/cmac.gov.kh\">Cambodia Mine Action Center <\/a>(CMAC). Last year, the rats helped clear 573,256 square meters across seven minefields. It\u2019s great because now the families who inhabit the land are immediately able to grow crops and look into a sustainable future for themselves.<\/span><\/p><p><strong>How does Apopo care for the rats?<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Animal welfare is our biggest priority. Each of our rats is a highly valuable asset. Our rats are really well taken care of. They get the best nutrition, daily exercise, stimulation and enrichment, and loving attention from our team.<\/span><\/p><p>[gallery columns=\"2\" size=\"large\" ids=\"10043,10041\"]<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>When do rats retire and what happens to them after<\/strong>?<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the heroRATs have been demining for long enough now that some of our rats have reached retirement age, which is typically when they reach between 7 and 8 years of age. We allow them to work as long as they are performing well, still feel like working and pass weekly health checks. We notice that the rats are generally enthusiastic to get to work but when they are growing old, some simply don\u2019t feel like getting out of their cage to work anymore. If that happens or when a rat\u2019s performance has declined or it is not healthy enough to continue working, the rat is retired to its home cage. When they are retired to their cages, they continue to receive a healthy diet, are regularly taken out to play and exercise, and continue to receive weekly health checks. If a rat is clearly suffering in its old age or from an untreatable disease, it is humanely euthanized. <\/span><\/p><p><strong>What will the new visiting center showcase?<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The visiting center is scheduled to open in October and is a space for visitors of all ages to learn more about our mission here in Cambodia. We will provide information boards, showcase different demined landmines, the rats in their living environment, a visitor\u2019s cafe and gift shop, and much more. In addition, we provide the opportunity to meet and speak with a deminer and rat handler. The center will help visitors understand the methodology we use to demine land and therefore bring opportunities to local farmers and we are eager to share our story to the public, to raise awareness, to educate them. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more information, check out their website at <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.apopo.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">www.apopo.org<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and contact the visitor\u2019s center in Siem Reap at <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">visiting.center@apopo.org.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[484,64],"tags":[284,363,92,93,364,159,365,366,367,368,352,369,370,371],"class_list":["post-10031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-siem-reap-things-to-do","category-sustainable-tourism","tag-animals","tag-apopo","tag-cambodia","tag-circus","tag-community","tag-education","tag-hero","tag-herorats","tag-landmines","tag-mission","tag-ngo","tag-rats","tag-responsible-tourism","tag-social-mission"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10031"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10031\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}