Ronin, a giant African pouched rat, is making headlines for his remarkable ability to detect landmines, recently setting world records by discovering 109 landmines and 15 unexploded ordnance near Siem Reap, Cambodia, between August 2021 and August 2025. His achievements reflect the potential of trained rodents in hazardous detection tasks, as noted by his handler, Fanny.
Landmines remain a significant threat in many former conflict zones, particularly in Cambodia, which has seen over 65,000 casualties since the Khmer Rouge era. Their indiscriminate nature and the prolonged risks they pose hinder development in affected regions. With around 110 million landmines buried globally and a notable casualty figure of 5,757 in 2023—37% of whom are children—Ronin’s role becomes critical.
Trained by the nonprofit Apopo, Ronin is part of a team that uses their keen sense of smell to identify buried explosives safely. The training has also enabled rats to detect tuberculosis in medical settings. Born in Tanzania, Ronin weighs 2.6 pounds and is about two feet long, making him larger than typical pet rats.
The area where Ronin operates has one of the world’s highest landmine densities due to historical conflicts, including extensive US bombing campaigns during the Vietnam War. Despite ongoing clearance efforts, an estimated 4-6 million landmines remain in Cambodia today. Ronin previously surpassed the record set by another Apopo rat, Magawa, who identified 71 landmines during his five-year tenure. Magawa passed away peacefully in January 2022.
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