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APOPO's Hero Rats

Deadly landmines are a lasting legacy in Cambodia from it's dark history that still kill or maim hundreds of Cambodians each year - one-third of whom are children.  APOPO is one of the NGOs that works to clear land so that residents can return to farm without risking their lives, and the newest team additions to the APOPO team are fourteen African giant pouched rats.  The rats use their acute sense of smell to detect the explosives in hidden landmines.  These "Hero Rats" are both highly efficient and far safer than manual detection, as they are too light to set off the mines, while they work with 100% accuracy.

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