Giant Rats Trained to Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade

Researchers have successfully trained African giant pouched rats to detect smuggled wildlife products, offering a cost-effective solution to a global issue.

The rats can identify scents of trafficked items such as pangolin scales, elephant ivory, rhino horns, and African blackwood, even when these are concealed among other substances.
Training was conducted by APOPO, a Tanzanian non-profit organization known for using rats to detect landmines and tuberculosis.
The rats have demonstrated scent retention comparable to that of dogs, remembering target scents months after initial exposure.
Equipped with custom vests, the rats signal handlers by pulling a ball to emit a beep when they detect contraband.
This initiative addresses the urgent need for affordable and efficient screening tools to combat the illegal wildlife trade, which is valued at up to $23 billion annually.