January 5, 2012
courage-as-a-key: HeroRats APOPO is a social enterprise that develops the research for detection rats technology for humanitarian purpose. As rats have a very well developed sense of smell (even more than dogs) they are trained to detect explosives. The difference between them and a metal detectro is that they can detect both metal and plastic-cased landmines. They are light-weight so when they stand on a mine it doesn’t explode. They are easy to train as even if it sounds strange, rats are very sociable and they start training them since their childhood because it’s the period when they are the most sociable. They are very cheap to feed and transport. And they are so motivated by food that it’s easier to make them work, compared to dogs. They are resilient to many tropical diseases and are highly adaptable creatures and therefor they need little veterinary care. As this experience is made in Africa, they use African Giant Pouched rats, which life span is very long (6-8 years) I found this research a really great things because it’s a natural way to save lives and rats are not hurt at all. I’ve also seen in the documentary that was on French TV that breeders and their animals really had a special relationship with this experience :) That’s why I can just encourage you to look at their website where everything’s explained: http://www.apopo.org/ You can also adopt Hero Rats to help the research And don’t forget, an animal can save plenty of lives ♥

courage-as-a-key:

HeroRats

APOPO is a social enterprise that develops the research for detection rats technology for humanitarian purpose.

As rats have a very well developed sense of smell (even more than dogs) they are trained to detect explosives. The difference between them and a metal detectro is that they can detect both metal and plastic-cased landmines.

They are light-weight so when they stand on a mine it doesn’t explode.

They are easy to train as even if it sounds strange, rats are very sociable and they start training them since their childhood because it’s the period when they are the most sociable.

They are very cheap to feed and transport. And they are so motivated by food that it’s easier to make them work, compared to dogs.

They are resilient to many tropical diseases and are highly adaptable creatures and therefor they need little veterinary care.

As this experience is made in Africa, they use African Giant Pouched rats, which life span is very long (6-8 years)

I found this research a really great things because it’s a natural way to save lives and rats are not hurt at all. I’ve also seen in the documentary that was on French TV that breeders and their animals really had a special relationship with this experience :)

That’s why I can just encourage you to look at their website where everything’s explained: http://www.apopo.org/

You can also adopt Hero Rats to help the research

And don’t forget, an animal can save plenty of lives ♥

(via themightymischief)

3:27am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZR3BEyEFfzlP
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    I remember when I first heard about this, and it made me very teary eyed.
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