Most landmines detected by a rat
- Who
- Ronin
- What
- 109 total number
- Where
- Cambodia (Sror Aem)
- When
- 20 February 2025
The most landmines detected by a rat over a career is 109, discovered by Ronin, an African giant pouched rat from Tanzania trained and deployed by Belgian nonprofit APOPO. He found all of the mines in the commune of Sror Aem, Preah Vihear, Cambodia, between August 2021 and February 2025.
To date, Ronin has additionally detected 15 other pieces of UXO (unexploded ordnance) including unexploded mortars and grenades.
Ronin, who turns six in August 2025, is said to be "hardworking but friendly and relaxed" and his favourite treat is avocado. APOPO typically retire their rats around the age of seven to eight.
According to APOPO, one rat can search an area the size of a tennis court in 20 minutes, an area that could take a human between one and four days. Small and light enough not to trigger the mines, the rats are trained to sniff out a chemical compound in the explosives.
Photo: © APOPO/Caterina Saccardo