In brief
In celebration of International Day for Mine Awareness, Cambodia has unveiled a statue dedicated to Magawa, an African giant pouched rat who played a crucial role in detecting landmines. Magawa, who sniffed out over 100 landmines in his career, was awarded a gold medal for his bravery. The statue, crafted from local stone, serves as a reminder of the ongoing mine clearance efforts in Cambodia, aiming for a mine-free nation by 2030.
A famous mine-clearing rat, who was awarded a gold medal for his heroism, has been commemorated with the world's first statue dedicated to a landmine-detecting rat. Magawa, who lived to eight years old, sniffed out over 100 landmines and other explosives in Cambodia during his five-year career that started in 2016. A statue of the rodent carved from local stone by artists was unveiled in Siem Reap, Cambodia on Friday, in time for the International Day for Mine Awareness on 4 April.Landmines remain an ongoing risk to Cambodia, and more than a million people continue to work and live on land contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance, according to the United Nations. Magawa's contributions were essential in this effort, clearing more than 141,000 square meters of land throughout his career. He could search an area the size of a tennis court in just 20 minutes.In 2020, Magawa was awarded the PDSA Gold Medal – known as the George Cross for animals – for his 'life-saving devotion to duty.' After retiring, Magawa lived a quiet life until his passing in 2022. Apopo's Cambodia Programme Manager, Michael Raine, emphasized the statue's significance, underscoring the importance of continued mine clearance in Cambodia, which aims to be mine-free by 2030. The charity has been training its rodents, also known as HeroRATS, since the 1990s, as they can detect landmines safely without triggering them.
