Magawa, a decorated rat to detect antipersonnel mines In Cambodia, he died last weekend at the age of 8, reported the Belgian NGO APOPO.
“Magawa was in good health and spent most of his time playing with his usual enthusiasm. As the weekend approached it seemed slower and more sleep, by showing less interest in food in his last days, “the NGO in charge of his training and care said in a statement on Tuesday.
Magawa retired last June after five years of work in which his nose has allowed you to find more than 100 mines and unexploded bombs in the second country most affected by this type of weapons after Afghanistan.
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Magawa. (EPH/APOPO)
Magawa. (EPH/APOPO)
In his time of service, Magawa cleared an area of 225,000 meters of explosives squares in areas of Cambodia affected by the bombs and abandoned mines, which has helped locals to recover your activities without fear to die or be amputated.
The work of this giant african installment, Born in Tanzania in 2013, she was recognized in September 2020 by the organization PDSA (acronym for People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals), which rewards animals for their bravery and devotion, by awarding them a golden medal
This recognition made her the first rat to receive such an award in PDSA’s 77-year history and share the glory with numerous dogs, some horses, pigeons and a cat.
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APOPO trains rats to detect chemicals in explosives and ignore bits of metal abandoned to find unexploded artifacts much faster.
Cambodia is the second most affected country by landmines in the world after Afghanistan, and it is believed that up to 6 million were placed during the armed conflicts that ravaged the country between 1975 and 1998, of which 3 million have not yet been located.
Antipersonnel mines have caused around 64,000 victims in the country, which has the highest number of amputees by them per capita in the world: more than 40,000 people for a population of 16 million inhabitants.