Did the herorats survive? If so, how is that, were they too light for setting off a mine?

Absolutely they do! In fact, we've never lost a single HeroRAT during our landmine detection activities. They operate under strict safety conditions and are simply too light to trigger landmines. Animal welfare is a top priority for us and we treat the our rats like the heroes they are.

Darn. I first assumed the rats were used to detonate the mines, not help locate and diffuse. This would have been way more epic the other way, in a morbid comedy type way.

I came here to be told they just unleash swarms of rats into a field and make them run around until everything stops exploding. Kinda disappointed.

Sorry, bro. The HeroRATs live!

Uh... isn't defusing the mines instead of exploding them more 'epic'?? I mean, they'd have to train a new rat every time your way. It's both more ethically dubious and a waste of money... not to mention all that detonated ordinance polluting the area...

a waste of money.

If the rats were dying the entire operation would fail financially. Our rats are highly trained animals that cost 7,000 euros each to train, they are anything but disposable.

Honestly thought the rats were running everywhere triggering all the landmines. Glad to hear all of them survived!

They're happy and healthy with us! Tonight we'll lay on a big feast for them - http://imgur.com/gallery/feIKG

I like that last picture. "Fooodd wwwuuuuaaaahh!!"

http://imgur.com/WC7RT3n

This is brilliant.

Wow you even had a banana for scale? Do you browse reddit a lot or was that just a coincidence?

We're familiar with the banana for scale standard :)

Where are they now?

(answer elsewhere in this AMA-) very well cared for in happy retirement

Thank you for a serious link. Damn these things are huge!

They're called giant rats for a reason!

They are kicking back and relaxing following a historic week. Plus it is friday so they'll have a big feast of watermelon, bananas, small fish, nuts, avocado, and a whole bunch of other good stuff. Next step will be either Angola where we are already working or Zimbabwe where we hope to start next year.

Oh phew, I thought you were sending in an army of rats to set off all the mines, kinda like the rats in Wanted. This is much better

Not a chance. Aside from the fact we love our HeroRATs and wouldn't put them in danger like that, the service simply wouldn't make economic sense if the rats were dying. Each one is highly trained and costs around 7,000 euros each.

Have you ever removed a land mine that turned out to just be a non-dangerous clock?

We haven't, at least not yet. You can't be too careful around ticking clocks, you never know!

We haven't, at least not yet. You can't be too careful around ticking clocks, you never know!

Thanks for doing this AMA! I'm very passionate about humanitarian demining, so I have a few questions for you guys:

• In the thread one of your members was in yesterday, /u/apopo_robin said of your HeroRATs:

We train them to sniff out TNT which is in every landmine and nearly every UXO (unexploded bomb)

However, aren't there a number of landmines that employ RDX as their explosive agent that don't contain TNT? Are your HeroRATs capable of detecting landmines and unexploded ordnance that don't employ TNT?

• In addition, do you use any secondary sensors to validate potential landmines detected by your HeroRATs? Or do your teams just start digging when the HeroRATs indicate a mine?

• Mozambique was cleared in much less time than originally estimated. Could you hazard a few guesses as to why this was the case, and if those factors may also be applicable in other countries currently in the demining process?

Thanks again!

EDIT: Formatting

Good question, once the rat indicated a deminer comes with his metal detector and pinpoint the target and investigate it using the right tools.

Mozambique was cleared in much less time than originally estimated. Could you hazard a few guesses as to why this was the case, and if those factors may also be applicable in other countries currently in the demining process?

This was made happen by the collective effort of the government of Mozambique, donor community, and demining organizations like APOPO. APOPO committed to continuously increase the capacity and covered big areas in shorter period of time. APOPO’s rats played important role in reducing huge suspected area into smaller confirmed mined area in very short period of time.

Thanks for the answers. I think /u/squidonthebass was also asking about RDX, which is a different chemical than TNT. Can your rats detect this or other nitroamine explosives? Or has that not been a factor so far.

Apologies if we missed that. Tess has left for the evening and I don't know the answer. I will ask and get back to you if that is okay?

All of our research is published here - https://www.apopo.org/en/contact/press/publications

the fact she specifically avoided this part makes me thing she either had no idea, or the answer is they can't detect them.

Tess has gone and I don't know the answer. I'll get back to you on it. I'm not a demining expert but our rats are approved by the international demining authorities for full clearance. They definitely could be trained to sniff out RDX but I don't know if they are.

We're an organisation grounded in research and you can read all of our publications online - https://www.apopo.org/en/contact/press/publications

It seems that rats, as with dogs, are unable to detect RDX

Thanks for the link. Interesting paper all around. I for one would welcome sniffer rats at the airport but I imagine a lot of obstacles to overcome.

Rats trained on a variety of chemicals can be useful in detecting different types of explosives; however, as with dogs, other than the fact the something dangerous is present, rats are not able to tell the handler whether smokeless powder or RDX was detected.

Unable to distinguish between gunpowder and RDX, more like. Seems like they can detect them with proper training.

Doesn't matter much since it seems like the majority of mines are either TNT or RDX/TNT mixes.

All of our research is published online if you're interested in this stuff - https://www.apopo.org/en/contact/press/publications

You've been doing this work for over a decade, what is something that would surprise people about clearing landmines?

The amount of time and cost to remove them. It is so cheap to lay mine but extremely expensive to remove them. Also the level of discipline and focus a demeanor need to have to deal with this danger business is always impressive.

Here's a fun (albeit, possibly slightly dated stat):

Mines cost between US$ 3 and US$ 75 to produce

yet

The only way to deactivate them is by individual removal at a cost of US$ 300–1000 per mine

Source

That's still pretty accurate although our costs are lower than our competitors due to the impact of our mine detection rats. Thanks for sharing!

Competitors in mine detection...

We compete to provide the best service possible at the most affordable price.

Hey. If it drives the price of removing these things down...

It's positive competition that ensures high standards at an affordable cost.

NPR's article "In Cambodia, Rats Are Being Trained To Sniff Out Land Mines And Save Lives" also had details about the HeroRAT training (€7,000/rat), care (very good), advantages (handler agnostic, light weight) and lifespan (6-8 years) of the African giant pouched rats used by APOPO.

Edit: Update cost from €6,000 to €7,000 based on /u/apopo_tess's more up-to-date answer elsewhere in this AMA.

Thanks for sharing, that NPR article is excellent.

Please tell some history of events and from where these land mines came from ?

Mozambique’s landmine problem was once one of the most severe in the world. The landmines were laid during the fight for independence 1964-1975 followed by the civil war conflict lasted for decades.

How is it that you can be certain you've found and disarmed EVERY last one?

Good question, No one is certain of removing every last one, we only certain of the area we worked . thus why there is always residual clearance after decelerating mine free. Even the treaty for mine ban convention asks the mine affected countries to clear all known landmines, doesn't say all landmines. This is the reason we still have landmine clearance going on from WW2 in western Europe: Denmark, germany, France and UK

So what is next? As you said, no more landmines, but what will you, and in conjunction the rats, do now?

APOPO remains in the country with a small team to continue providing technical expertise and capacity for any residual clearance and or remaining former ammunitions depot exploded few years back and left thousands of ammunition spread over 600 hectare area. The remaining capacity of APOPO will be deployed to neighboring Zimbabwe to help Zimbabwe clear all its known landmines. Then on to the next one, and the next one, until they're all gone!

Then on to the next one, and the next one, until they're all gone!

That's some Batman level determination.

Neh neh neh neh neh neh neh neh neh neh neh neh neh neh neh,

RATMAN!

We already have a theme tune!

Hey there! Do you ever get attached to the rats you work with? Do you have any as pets? Thanks!

Hey there! Thanks for your question :)

Take a look at this gallery and ask yourself if we get attached?! (We do!) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/herorats/albums/72157646696705425

The HeroRATs are brilliant and it is hard not to form a special bond with them.

In the interests of animal welfare none of the rats are kept as pets. When they retire we want to provide the very best care and experience possible so they stay with us and their friends and family. They receive weekly vet checks, a wide array of exciting foods, access to a play area, a cosy home to snuggle up in, plus, mandatory daily petting from our staff and visitors!

Weekly vet checks?

Sorry, veterinary checks.

How hero rats are different from rats ?

Thanks for your question! We train Gambian Pouched Rats which are a different species to the ones that people tend to keep as pets which are normally the Norwegian variety. Our rats are much bigger, nearly twice the size, and are native to the parts of Africa that we work in. They are resistant to disease, easy to train, have an exceptional sense of smell, and are a bit like dogs really. Very friendly, charismatic, curious, affectionate, they are great creatures to work with!

They sound like they'd make interesting pets.

Rats are really, really good pets. They are affectionate, they learn people, they have personalities, they enjoy company, like being held, can be trained, very intelligent, easy to feed, cheap. If you spend time with them, they will get happy to see you. The two major downsides are that they have short life spans (average 2 years), and that people think they're gross.

That's one of the big advantages of using Gambian Pouched Rats, they can live up to eight years old with us.

Tiny capes.

We're getting some tiny capes custom manufactured for us this week!

Pictures please.. :D

You're earning enough karma, but that would likely go over well in /r/aww.. :)

edit: And /r/Awwducational

Soon...

Hi Tess

Your website states that rats were sent to Cambodia for the first time this April. Can you report on their progress? It seems like demining Cambodia is a never-ending task. Do you have plans to send more rats?

Also, APOPO is on AmazonSmile. You may want to add this to your main post.

1. Goto https://smile.amazon.com/
2. Look for the orange 'Supporting' link and click it
3. Click Change Charity and type "Apopo Us Inc"
4. 0.5% of eligible purchases will go to support Apopo

Yes, We sent rats recently to Cambodia and they are undergoing refresher training and preparing for accreditation by the Cambodian mine action center, then will be deployed to live operations. Yes, more rats will follow depending on funding availability.

Thanks for the tip, we've added it to the main post.

Yes, We sent rats recently to Cambodia and they are undergoing refresher training and preparing for accreditation by the Cambodian mine action center, then will be deployed to live operations. Yes, more rats will follow depending on funding availability.

Thanks for the tip, we've added it to the main post.

Do you think Mozambique is politically stable now so that minefields won't be reopened in near future?

Thanks for your question. Yes, We can say Mozambique is politically stable and we hope there won't be any conflict that could lead to laying new landmines. APOPO already took the initiative to provide capacity building training through technical vocational training that allow our staff to pursue a new career with a new skillset outside demining.

Is this process possible for all minefields or was it suitable just for this terrain?

We use a combination of technologies to clear landmines starting with giant, specialised demining machines that clear the ground and remove bushes and shrubbery that would interfere with clearing landmines. From there, we will use the HeroRATs where the environment permits, it needs to be dry and not too hilly basically. Where the HeroRATs are not suitable we will use our teams of manual deminers with metal detectors.

Something like this?

A little bit. We purchase specialised demining equipment from these guys - http://dtr.digger.ch/

There are pictures of our machines in here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/herorats/albums/72157646684206292

what are some fun things you do with the HeroRATS when they aren't working? I have 3 pet rats, and I wonder if they like the same things!

FullCheekFriday is a weekly feast for all of our HeroRATs. They really go for it as you'll see in the gallery - http://imgur.com/a/feIKG

What do your pet rats enjoy doing?

Is any accident occer during neutralizing 13300 mines ?

We take our work extremely seriously and maintain strict safety protocols for every aspect of our demining work. It's dangerous work but we're happy to say that we didn't experience any serious accidents whilst clearing Mozambique.

You may appreciate this case study of one of our medic's in Mozambique called Alfredo - https://storify.com/HeroRATs/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-minefield-medic-1

What's the process in assuring land is 100% clear of mines? Has it ever happened, where a land was supposedly clear, and a mine was found after the fact?

We use an internationally approved technology or combination of technologies to clear all known and all suspected minefields. We've cleared more than 25m sqm2 of land in multiple countries to date and no mines have been found in areas we're responsible for yet, we hope it stays that way.

Are the rats really giant? Or would you say they were Rodents Of Unusual Size?

Came for the R.O.U.S., wasn't disappointed.

R.O.U.S?

They are technically Gambian Pouched Rats but they are commonly referred to as giant rats. They're pretty big! Here's a video of one in Russia showing a cat who's boss - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPK_ij0llc8

Will these rats be buried in a cemetery with a monument to their work?

When a rat passes away they are laid to rest in an informal ceremony surrounded by friends and family. It's always hard.

I just showed the Russian monument to lab rats to Tess and he loved it! http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/russian-scientists-build-monument-to-honor-lab-rats

Write the kickstarter.

As much fun as it would be we want any monies raised to support our work solving humanitarian problems. If someone else was to do it for us though...

In this video it says that the rats are given treats after finding a mine. Has it ever happened that rats gave false positives, just to get a treat? If so, how do you prevent that from happening other times?

The younger rats that are still in training like to try their hand at deceiving us to get a taste of banana but they soon learn it simply doesn't work. By the time they graduate to the field they are only interested in finding the TNT we've trained them to look for. Our older rats go through the training again at regular intervals to reinforce the expected behaviour.

Who paid for this endeavor? If the Mozambique government didn't, why didn't they?

We received generous support from the governments and aid agencies of Belgium, Flanders, Norway, Switzerland, and Germany. The UNDP channelled funds from, Sweden, Japan, Australia, DFID (UK) and UNMAS.

As well APOPO thanks the in kind support of its foundation and corporation sponsors who include: the Digger Foundation, Minas de Revuboè, the Mitsubishi Corporation, and World Without Mines.

Last but by no means least, we rely on the generous support of the public to ensure that we are sustainable and can create an impact like we've witnessed in Mozambique.

Why is Flanders mentioned apart from Belgium?

They have two administrative regions in Belgium with two different aid organisations.

where do you put the landmines ?

We destroy all mines and UXO (unexploded ordinance) in situ where we find them.

Can you tell step by step processes that how you get information of land mines in region , how you detect it with help of hero rats and how you neutralize that mine . and any process in detween ?

First you get information or report of suspected, visible mine or accident of landmine from the communities, then a survey team is deployed to conduct a detailed assessment and generate a detailed report including scaled map/polygon. This survey report includes recommendation of demining methodology that can be deployed to clear the surveyed area, also the estimated size of team and period of completion. The chief of operations select the appropriate methodology & deploy team/s. The team start clearance operation and quality assurance/control team and chief of operations visit the operation from time to time to ensure the quality of the work is up to a standard. Once the task is completed, we invite the local leaders and community member to handover the area so that they can use their land freely.

First, excellent work!

Are there any plans to work in the Balkans? Croatia and the Greek-Turkish border both contain a massive amount of mines and are mostly unmapped.

We don't have any plans currently as APOPO was established to support developing countries in the global south and there is still a lot of work to be done there. That said, if the funding was available and we could generate surpluses that would support our work in countries with fewer financial resources we would definitely consider it.

My sister and her family are currently employed in Mozambique and I just want to say thank you and to those amazing rats for doing a wonderful job!

Are the rats able to earn an early retirement now, or do you have plans to move to a new region?

Thanks for your kind words! Mozambique is a beautiful country with special people who have been held back by these horrible devices for far too long.

Our HeroRATs will most likely come with us on a new adventure to Zimbabwe where we hope to start demining operations early next year. In the mean time, our Mozambique veteren HeroRATs will enjoy a bit of a break that will include mountains of watermelon.

In what other places have you guys worked to clear mines?

Thanks for this AMA!

Thanks for your interest in our work! We have undertaken demining operations in Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand so far. We hope to start work in Zimbabwe early next year too.

Congratulations on clearing Mozambique of known landmines!

I have a question about the rats' behavior. They seem curious and playful in the photos and videos. Do they become more focused when they are in the field? Like, do you think they understand they have a serious job?

Also, how long do the hero rat teams work each day? Do they aim for a certain number of hours or area cleared or something else?

Congratulations on clearing Mozambique of known landmines!

Thanks!

Do they become more focused when they are in the field? Like, do you think they understand they have a serious job?

Excellent question! You can witness a change in focus when you attach the harness but that may just be a steely determination to win another munch on a banana. It is serious work and we operate under strict safety procedures but at the same time we need to support the rat and not introduce unnecessary stress. Their behaviour definitely changes from when they are crawling up our arms and licking our hair compared to when we're demining.

Also, how long do the hero rat teams work each day? Do they aim for a certain number of hours or area cleared or something else?

Our mine detection rats only work for about 45 minutes per day and it is a time limit rather than any demand to clear a certain amount of space which would only increase the risks. Like humans or any other animal it is difficult to maintain intense focus for an extended period of time and our experience shows that 45 minutes is the optimal time for our rats.

You should totally mention heroRATS can sniff out TB as well! I sponsored a heroRATS and decided sniffing put TB was more exciting than sniffing out landmines. I guess what more can you try these rattles to find?

We don't have a TB expert with us this evening but we're very happy to answer any questions on our Tuberculosis Detection Rats too. We did an AMA in /r/science that just focused on the TB detection service. Thanks for sponsoring a rat, that's awesome, and your contribution really makes a difference.

I guess what more can you try these rattles to find?

If something has a smell, even a faint one, then our rats can smell it. We continue to research other applications for our HeroRATs and have trained them to find people trapped in disaster situations before although we didn't take that one forward. You've probably read stories about dogs being trained to sniff out cancer and we're at the early stages of our research into this too. There are so many applications we can think of but funding often guides research and we have to decide where to focus our energies.

Why you choose rats ? I think dogs are better isn't it?

Nah, we love our HeroRATs and wouldn't trade them in for anything! There are quite a few advantages to rats over dogs...

1 - They are cheaper to breed, maintain, and feed. 2 - They are too light to set off landmines (IMPORTANT!) 3 - They have an exceptional sense of smell 4 - They don't form close bonds with trainers meaning we can transfer them to different locations without causing distress 5 - They are adapted to the environments we work in and are highly resistant to disease. 6 - They are intelligent and trainable 7 - They are locally sourced and widely available

Why do you think dogs would be better?

Why do you think dogs would be better?

OH SNAP

You got something else to say about HeroRATS, bro?!

Come at me, bro.

Has APOPO thought of other applications in which rats could help humans? I'm curious about broader uses. Also, do the rats get lots of treats for their hard work?

Thanks for all you are doing to make life safer for people living in areas where land mines are still a threat. And thanks for changing the perception of rats!

Has APOPO thought of other applications in which rats could help humans? I'm curious about broader uses.

Did you know about our tuberculosis detection rats? They've already detected more than 8,500+ additional cases of TB and have evaluated 300,000 samples in Tanzania and Mozambique. Video.

I am currently struggling to train my puppy to pee in the right place (not in the house), so how do you train the rats to sniff out the explosives? Any tips on training my dog? Do your Herorats get a reward after a successful "hunt?

Silly puppy! We train our rats using Skinner's methods or rewarding and reinforcing positive behaviour using a clicker device. Clicker devices are very common in animal training, in fact, they were even used in the latest Jurassic Park to train the velociraptors. We wrote an article about it too - https://www.apopo.org/en/component/one/summary?show=295

Anyway, your dog, consistency is absolutely key to good training. We don't believe in punishing animals, instead we simply encourage and reinforce desired behaviours.

This is a great video from the BBC that demonstrates how we train our rats to detect landmines - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0swUc492hU

Have you ever had any predators attempt to catch the rats while they are in service?

Nope, that one has never happened. Before we can use the HeroRATs we need to prepare the area and create safe lanes using manual deminers. Our presence beforehand tends to scare any predators away and then when we're working they are always close to us which deters even the most ambitious predator.

Which was your toughest mission ?

It is quite difficult which one to call the toughest, because every day we face with toughest mission on different levels; be the lack of access to minified that has highest impact to communities, lack of fund to remove the landmine before someone got hurt or the fight with weather to conduct our operation. Every day is a new challenge and each one makes us stronger.

How you give training to rats ?

This video shows a day in the life of a HeroRAT in training which will show you how it is done. Our rats are trained in a similar way to how you train dogs by reinforcing positive behaviour with a reward, generally a couple of bits of a banana.

Could the pouched rats be effective in demining elsewhere in the world or do they struggle further from their native environment? Also, let's say I were a bit of a rat enthusiast, because I am. How feasible is the idea of a pet pouched rat?

Could the pouched rats be effective in demining elsewhere in the world or do they struggle further from their native environment?

We recently sent HeroRATs out of Africa for the first time to Cambodia as a test. You can read about them here - https://www.apopo.org/en/cambodia

Our rats are native to Africa and will likely perform well in similar environments. It is safe to assume that they probably wouldn't be suitable for environments that are very cold.

How feasible is the idea of a pet pouched rat?

Increasingly they are kept as pets and with the proper care and attention they can make excellent pets. However, you really need to do your research first to ensure that you can provide the environment they need. I actually considered getting one now that I'm back in the UK but it is likely I will move again and Gambian Pouched Rats are illegal in many countries and it would be unfair to abandon one to someone else.

What are your impressions of the people of Mozambique and how have they responded to your work?

Beautiful people! APOPO employs 95% of its workforce from local communities and consequently our work there has been undertaken been led by the Mozambique people themselves. The local populations welcome all clearance efforts and are thrilled when land is returned for them to use again after decades of it being lost to landmines.

What's next for you guys?

Demining wise, we've recently sent the HeroRATs out of Africa for the first time to Cambodia and we hope to expand the service there. We're also active in Angola and hope to start mine clearance in Zimbabwe next year.

Our Tuberculosis detection rats are proving to be a big success in clinics up and down both Tanzania and Mozambique. You can watch a video of them here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrp2UgbYJn4

Lastly, we continue to research new applications for our scent detection technology (HeroRATs!). Simply put, if something has even the faintest smell our rats can detect it.

How do you know for sure that 100% of the mines are cleared? And what will happen with the now clear land?

How do you know for sure that 100% of the mines are cleared?

When we perform a full mine clearance operation over a specific area. That would often include a combination of machines, deminers, and rats.

And what will happen with the now clear land?

Lots of good stuff. Farming, development, road building, path ways, schools, infrastructure, power lines, all of which would have been impossible in a minefield or even just a suspected minefield. landmines are area denial weapons and by removing them we enable local communities to develop.

How do you know for sure that 100% of the mines are cleared?

When we perform a full mine clearance operation over a specific area. That would often include a combination of machines, deminers, and rats.

And what will happen with the now clear land?

Lots of good stuff. Farming, development, road building, path ways, schools, infrastructure, power lines, all of which would have been impossible in a minefield or even just a suspected minefield. landmines are area denial weapons and by removing them we enable local communities to develop.

How accurate are these rats in detecting these mines? Are there usually any false positives?

How accurate are these rats in detecting these mines?

All of our HeroRATs have to pass regular blind tests at a 100% clip to be approved for mine detection work. We believe they are the best technology available for full mine clearance.

Are there usually any false positives?

They are exceptionally rare with the rats whereas false positives are a real plague when using metal detectors which is why it is so slow. A deminer has to stop and excavate every single coin or piece of scrap metal they find whereas our rats sniff out TNT meaning they have no such problems.

This is a good video that shows the difference between the two approaches - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbvqqXAUn2A

What other countries have you considered expanding this to? And have you trained the rats to scope out other hazards like leaking chemicals, etc?

What other countries have you considered expanding this to?

Thanks for your questions, we appreciate your interest. We've worked in Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and well as Mozambique, whilst we're currently working on demining projects in Cambodia and Angola. We expect to start in Zimbabwe next year too.

And have you trained the rats to scope out other hazards like leaking chemicals, etc?

Have you seen the drug sniffing rats employed by the dutch police? We helped with some of the research into them. Really, if something has a smell then the rats will be able to detect it.

We also run a Tuberculosis detection service using our rats too. Video of it here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtrRtfmN_T8

We also trained some rats to find people trapped in disaster situations which you can see here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCQRbPz3MF4

You folks are awesome! Do you ever tour around the world to show off your rats? How about adopting out your retired rodents, sort of like greyhound rescues do?

Thank you my friend. We had some in a British Zoo a few years back but not really since. It's a good idea but we haven't done more than introduce them to local communities such as in schools and places of worship.

As for adoption, these animals have saved countless lives and we want to guarantee them the best possible retirement and we're confident that is with us, their friends, and their families. With us we know they will get the best love and care which is why we don't allow them to be adopted.

What training techniques were used?
If someone wanted to train rats (not for bomb disposal, just for fun) what resources would you recommend?
What would the normal daily routine be for the rats, from morning to night?

We use a clicker device to reinforce specific behaviours. Then it is really a case of consistency and support from there. We only use positive reinforcement and never use punishment as a training device. If you want to train rats then you can't go wrong with a clicker, rats can perform some awesome tricks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g2rxtWu_FM

What would the normal daily routine be for the rats, from morning to night?

Our mine detection rats work very early in the morning as soon as the light comes up and they will work for no more than 45 minutes each. After the morning session we all head back to avoid the harsh midday sun and the rats have a snack and a snooze. That's there work done for the day but we'll get them out for play time, maybe take them for a walk, introduce them to visitors, let them play in a dedicated adventure space, and just generally chill out with their friends and families.

Was Master Splinter a part of the operation?

He may well have been. Check out this picture of our Founder.

Thank you for all your hard work, what your organization dies is amazing. Can you tell us what, if any, activities the rats do in their "off" time? Do they play or bond with their handlers? Just curious. They seem very intelligent and would benefit from enrichment activities.

Happy and heathy rats are crucial to the success of our work. If our rats are stressed, bored, are otherwise unhappy they will not be able to perform effectively. That combined with the fact that the organisation was founded by an animal lover who passionately believes in animal welfare mean that the rats receive an excellent standard of living.

Outside of work they live with their friends and family, receive daily petting, are taken on walks, have access to a big play area with a giant running wheel, have access to some fantastic fresh food, have enrichment toys in their enclosures, and they always have something pleasant to gnaw on.

How do this idea generated of using rats for mines ? Its very unique.

Our Founder can tell the story much better than I can. It's a good watch.

TED - Bart Weetjens, How I Taught Rats To Sniff Out Landmines

How many minesweeper jokes to you have to deal with daily?

Daily? Not too many. /u/APOPO_Robin looks after our social side and he has to deal with all the weird questions.

I'm sure you did your best, but how safe is it statistically for people to return to de-mined areas? You did use a phrase "free of all known" and not "completely free of all"...

We have fully cleared all known minefields and all suspected minefields. Historically this has proven to be extremely effective and adheres to intentional mine action standards. Demining is slow and even though the rats speed up the process significantly it is impossible to say a country is 100% free of all landmines and UXO. Cities like Berlin and London continue to find bombs left over from the second world war more than seventy years later.

After a HeroRat "has cleared" a certain area, how certain are you that no more mines are left there undetected?

Our rats are approved for full mine clearance by the international mine action authorities. There is a minimum standard required which is a 100% pass rate on a blind test and that is the same for our rats, mine detection dogs, and manual deminers using metal detectors.

We're extremely confident in our rats and believe they are the best technology available to solve the landmine problem. However, there is a small chance that mines could be missed, you only need to look at western europe to see that mines from wars more than seventy years ago are still sometimes dug up.

Do you get any kind of support/help from the developed countries?

We receive bits of funding and the governments are responsible for organising the NGOs on the ground. Most of the funding comes from developed countries.

How do you know that all land mines are neutralised ? Can be possible that some mines are buried at some other place ?

How do you know that all land mines are neutralised ?

We methodically evaluate the ground in accordance with international mine clearance standards using the very best technology available.

Can be possible that some mines are buried at some other place ?

It is possible, especially if bad weather has moved them, although it is extremely rare.

How mad would you be if I told you I put them all back again?

Very mad? Super mad? We'd definitely be mad.

Why apopo is formed ? I think this work can be done in more better and safe way by army bomb squad ? What you say ?

Why apopo is formed ?

APOPO was formed to provide a low-cost, innovative solution to the landmine crisis afflicting many countries in Africa. Traditional demining is expensive and many countries simply couldn't afford it, we wanted to create a solution would enable local communities to participate and take control of their own lives.

I think this work can be done in more better and safe way by army bomb squad ?

The only approved methods for full mine clearance are manual deminers (people with metal detectors), dogs, or rats. Any army bomb squad would use the same extremely slow method of demining using metal detectors which are plagued by false positives as they have to stop and excavate every coin and piece of scrap metal they come across. Our rats are significantly faster than conventional demining and have a perfect safety record in that no rat has ever been hurt or killed during the detection process.

This video explains the problem with conventional demining and how our HeroRATs can solve this massive problem much faster than any other available solution - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbvqqXAUn2A

Let me know if you have any questions.

Did the process involve the blowing to pieces of thousands of giant rats? I can't watch the video as my connection sucks but I'd really like to imagine that you set loads of Rats free in a minefield and then sit back with a cold beer. I'm sure it's more complicated than that...?

1. Human obtain rat
2. Human train rat
3. Human put rat on long lead
4. Rat find mine
5. Rat signal mine.
6. Human and rat retreat to safe place
7. Mine go boom.

We could get you a job in our Comms team ;) Sorry /u/apopo_robin

Jokes aside, our rats are highly trained animals which cost about 7,000 euros each. The rats work methodically and are attached to a line system that ensures they sniff every inch of ground to ensure that it is free of landmines. When they find one they simply indicate to us by lightly scratching on the surface and they receive a tasty reward as a measure of thanks! We then clear the area and safely blow up the device. Then we start over again until all the mines are eventually gone.