Ronin, an African giant mouse, has discovered 109 mines and 15 unexploded ordnance items since 2021, according to Apopo, a nonprofit that trains the animals.
The Guinness World Records announced that Ronin now has the record of the most mines found by rats, emphasizing that his “important work” has greatly promoted the safety of the Cambodian people.
Ronin, five years old, was described by his handling staff as “dedicated, friendly and calm.”
Apopo has been training rats to detect landmines for nearly 30 years. Ronin and other well-trained rats followed grid patterns during the search process and indicated the presence of mines by scratching the ground. They usually work about 30 minutes a day and retire once they reach a certain age.
Still carrying the scars of the civil war that ended in 1998, Cambodia is one of the world’s worst ground-filled mineral countries, with more than 1,000 square kilometers of land contaminated. The country is also one of the highest speeds for amputees per capita, with more than 40,000 people losing their limbs due to explosives. For more than five years, Magawa has discovered 71 mines and 38 unexploded ordnance before retiring in 2021.
