January 01, 2025
To put a check on illegal wildlife smuggling activities, a non-profit organisation based in Tanzania named APOPO has trained African giant pouched rats to smell and identify wildlife items such as pangolin scales and elephant tusks that are being illegally traded. The rats are equipped with a vest with a tiny ball affixed to it. When a rat identifies a particular scent, it is trained to tug on the ball, which gives rise to a beeping noise. This signals the creatures’ handler of the detected item. If successful, this training could help keep animals such as pangolins and elephants safe.
DID YOU KNOW?
African giant pouched rats can attain a length of around 3ft and are the world’s largest rats.
Image Source: apopo.org
