Overview

• Ronin, a mine-detecting rat trained by Apopo, has been recognized by Guinness World Records for detecting the most landmines by a rat, with 109 landmines and 15 unexploded ordnances discovered since 2021.
• The announcement coincides with International Rat Day, highlighting the life-saving contributions of HeroRATs in heavily mined regions like Cambodia.
• Ronin's achievements surpass those of his predecessor, Magawa, and emphasize the effectiveness of Apopo's reward-based training methods developed in Tanzania.
• Cambodia remains one of the world's most heavily mined countries, with many explosives dating back to the Khmer Rouge regime starting in 1975.
• Guinness World Records and Apopo stress the importance of overcoming biases against unconventional methods, showcasing how human-animal collaboration can address global humanitarian challenges.