'Every discovery he makes reduces the risk of injury or death for local people,' said PDSA director general Jan McLoughlin.
Using an excellent sense of smell and memory, Magawa has discovered 39 landmines and 28 items of unexploded ordnance and can search an area the size of a tennis court in 30 minutes, something that would take a human with a metal detector up to four days, the charity said.
"Unlike metal detectors, the rats ignore scrap metal and only sniff out explosives making them fast and efficient landmine detectors," said Christophe Cox, chief executive of APOPO, the non-profit organization which trained Magawa. It also trains the creatures to detect tuberculosis. "This not only saves lives but returns much-needed safe land back to the communities as quickly and cost-effectively as possible," Cox added.It takes about nine months to train up rats like Magawa, APOPO said, adding that they can live up to eight years. The creatures are light-footed, so do not set off the landmines and no rat has yet been harmed during operations.
Wet-nosed Magawa was formally presented with his miniature medal in a virtual ceremony from London on Friday, becoming the first rat in the PDSA's 77-year history to receive the honor. Former winners include police dogs, horses, pigeons and a cat.
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