I have posted before about the use of bomb sniffing rats in Colombia (bentorats.blogspot.com/2011/11/service-rats.html). I was surprised to see a video at cnn.com yesterday on this program.
I am fascinated by this. It is really great to see the coverage and to see these amazing animals in action.
Showing posts with label brave rats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brave rats. Show all posts
February 15, 2012
November 29, 2011
Service Rats
CNEWS has an interesting article about the upcoming use of rats in Colombia to sniff out landmines (available here: cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Features/2011/11/23/19008356.html).
It sounds similar to the HeroRATS (www.apopo.org/home.php) program that I wrote about a few weeks ago (at bentorats.blogspot.com/2011/09/herorats.html) but what I especially find interesting with the Colombian program is that they are using ordinary white rats.
The rats have a highly sensitive sense of smell which, combined with their light weight, makes them ideal for sniffing out landmines. They are also (of course) highly intelligent, making it easy for them to learn voice commands.
So far they have bred five generations of rats as the program has been fine tuned. It is believed that the upcoming generation will be trained to such a degree that they will be ready to go into the field. The Colombian government estimates that 31 of the country's 32 provinces contains landmines and people die because of them every year. If successful, the government's rat project could have a significant positive impact on the lives of Colombians.
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| Landmine sniffing rat with his trainer. |
It sounds similar to the HeroRATS (www.apopo.org/home.php) program that I wrote about a few weeks ago (at bentorats.blogspot.com/2011/09/herorats.html) but what I especially find interesting with the Colombian program is that they are using ordinary white rats.
The rats have a highly sensitive sense of smell which, combined with their light weight, makes them ideal for sniffing out landmines. They are also (of course) highly intelligent, making it easy for them to learn voice commands.
So far they have bred five generations of rats as the program has been fine tuned. It is believed that the upcoming generation will be trained to such a degree that they will be ready to go into the field. The Colombian government estimates that 31 of the country's 32 provinces contains landmines and people die because of them every year. If successful, the government's rat project could have a significant positive impact on the lives of Colombians.
November 7, 2011
Saké Isn't the Only Brave Rat
This story is a couple of years old, and I was happy to randomly find it again yesterday. A photography student was taking pictures of a leopard when he saw something amazing - a daring young brown rat decided that the leopard had enough lunch to share.
The full story is over at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1190772/What-squeak-Daring-mouse-whos-boss-scares-leopard-steals-lunch.html.
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