• Menu
  • Menu
  • News
  • Subscribe now
    Digital subscription Print subscription
  • Logout
Digital subscription
Print subscription
Trending
UAE holidays 2022 Golf in UAE Gratuity Calculator Qatar World Cup 2022
  • Latest News
  • UAE
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Government
    • Health
      • Why Worry
    • Transport
    • Science
    • Weather
    • Ask the Law
    • Reader Complaint
    • UAE's Hope Probe
  • Living In UAE
    • Visa+Immigration
    • Housing
    • Phone+Internet
    • Banking
    • Transport
    • Health
    • Education
    • Relocate
    • Ask Us
    • Safety+Security
  • UAE Success Stories
  • Business
    • Banking
    • Aviation
    • Property
    • Energy
    • Analysis
    • Tourism
    • Markets
    • Retail
    • Corporate News
  • Best Buys
    • Electronics
    • Home and Kitchen
    • Offers
    • Consumables
    • Lifestyle
  • Your Money
    • Saving and Investment
    • Budget Living
    • Taxation
    • Expert Columns
    • Community Tips
    • Cryptocurrency
  • Food
    • Cooking and Cuisines
    • Guide to Cooking
    • Videos
  • Friday
    • Beauty
    • Wellbeing
    • Art & People
    • Home
  • Games
    • Daily Crossword
    • Sudoku
    • Word Search
    • Spell It
    • Play
  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy & Baby
    • Learning & Play
    • Child Health
    • For Mums & Dads
    • Ask Us
    • Games
  • Discounts
  • Qatar World Cup 2022
    • Teams
    • Travel
    • News & Views
  • Play Games
  • Magical Dubai
    • Dubai Life
    • Live the Luxury
    • Culture and History
    • Adventure
    • Staying Connected
  • World
    • Gulf
      • Bahrain
      • Kuwait
      • Oman
      • Qatar
      • Saudi
      • Yemen
      • Games
    • Mena
    • Europe
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia
      • India
      • Pakistan
      • Philippines
    • Oceania
    • Offbeat
    • Coronavirus
    • Infographics
    • Special Reports
    • Corrections
  • Special Reports
  • Photos
    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Readers' Photos
    • Lifestyle
    • Business
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Op-Eds
    • Letters
    • From the Editors
  • Sport
    • UAE Sport
    • Horse Racing
      • Dubai World Cup
    • Cricket
      • IPL
        • Chennai
        • Delhi
        • Punjab
        • Kolkata
        • Mumbai
        • Rajasthan
        • Bangalore
        • Hyderabad
        • Gujarat
        • Lucknow
        • Live Scores
        • Point Table
        • Top Scorers
      • ICC
    • Motorsport
    • Football
    • Tennis
    • Rugby
    • Golf in UAE
      • UAE
      • World
      • Photos & Videos
      • Course Reviews
      • Learn to Play
      • Gear
  • Entertainment
    • Hollywood
    • Bollywood
    • Pakistani Cinema
    • South Indian
    • Arab Celebs
    • Music
    • TV
    • Books
    • Theatre
    • Arts+Culture
  • Expo 2020
    • News
    • Photos
    • Pavilions
    • Visit the Expo
    • Experience the UAE
    • Entertainment
    • Videos
  • Going Out
  • Auto
    • News
    • Test Drives
    • Car Culture
    • Auto Care
  • Lifestyle
    • Health+Fitness
    • Community
    • Fashion
  • GN Reach
  • Jobs
  • Tech
    • Electronics
    • Gaming
    • Media
  • Videos
    • How-To
    • Best Of Bollywood
    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Business
    • Sport
    • Community
    • Technology
  • Travel
  • GN Focus
    • Special Features
  • Mind Your Migraine
  • 50 MENA Leaders
  • The Kurator
    • Share
    • Dare
    • Flair
  • Bayat Chapters
  • Gold-Forex
  • Gratuity Calculator
  • Notifications
  • Gold/Forex
  • Prayer Times
  • Cinema Listing
  • Newsletters
  • About Gulf News
  • Contact us
  • Work with us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Gulf News store
  • Advertise with us
  • Reach by GN
  • GN Focus
  • Gulf News epaper
  • Sitemap
  • Have your say
  • © Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2022. All rights reserved.
    Landmine detection rat wins top UK animal bravery award

    Photos

    Login / Sign Up
    Logout
    Tuesday, August 16, 2022
    Gold / Forex

    Photos News

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Readers' Photos
    • Lifestyle
    • Business
    • Sports
    All Sections

    Landmine detection rat wins top UK animal bravery award

    Magawa has sniffed out 39 landmines and 28 items of unexploded ordnance


    Published:  September 25, 2020 14:43 Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor

    1 of 8
    HeroRat Magawa
    London: Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. A five-year-old giant African pouched rat called Magawa, however, has to be one of the world's most unlikely life-savers. The rodent has won the animal equivalent of Britain's highest civilian honour for bravery because of his uncanny knack of sniffing out landmines and unexploded ordnance. Image Credit: AFP
    2 of 8
    HeroRat Magawa
    British veterinary charity the PDSA on Friday awarded Magawa its Gold Medal "for his life-saving bravery and devotion to duty", which had transformed the lives of people in Cambodia. Magawa, who was trained by the Belgian charity APOPO, has sniffed out 39 landmines and 28 items of unexploded ordnance, making him the organisation's most successful "HeroRAT". Image Credit: AFP
    3 of 8
    HeroRat Magawa
    "The work of HeroRAT Magawa and APOPO is truly unique and outstanding," said PDSA director-general Jan McLoughlin. "HeroRAT Magawa's work directly saves and changes the lives of men, women and children who are impacted by these landmines." Image Credit: AFP
    4 of 8
    HeroRat Magawa
    Millions of landmines were laid in Cambodia between 1975 and 1998, causing tens of thousands of casualties. Magawa, based in the northern city of Siem Reap, is the first rat to receive a PDSA medal in the 77 years of the awards, joining an illustrious band of brave canines and felines - and even a pigeon. Image Credit: AFP
    5 of 8
    HeroRat Magawa
    The PDSA Gold Medal is the animal equivalent of Britain's George Cross. The charity also awards the Dickin Medal, for military animals. APOPO trained Magawa in his native Tanzania to detect the chemical compound within explosives by rewarding him with tasty treats - his favourite being bananas and peanuts. The rats alert de-miners by scratching the earth. Image Credit: AFP
    6 of 8
    HeroRat Magawa
    He can scurry across an area the size of a tennis court in just 30 minutes, something that would take four days using a conventional metal detector. He is big enough to be attached to a leash as he goes about his business but light enough not to set off mines. Image Credit: AFP
    7 of 8
    HeroRat Magawa
    "The PDSA Gold Medal award brings the problem of landmines to global attention," said Christophe Cox of APOPO. Cox said its team of "HeroRATs" speeded up landmine detection because of their keen sense of smell and recall. Image Credit: AFP
    8 of 8
    HeroRat Magawa
    "Unlike metal detectors, the rats ignore scrap metal and only sniff out explosives making them fast and efficient landmine detectors," Cox said. "This not only saves lives but returns much-needed safe land back to the communities as quickly and cost-effectively as possible." APOPO currently has 45 rats finding landmines and 31 detecting tuberculosis in Africa and Asia, according to its website. Image Credit: AFP

    Trending

    • Look: A glimpse of Wahat Al Karama in Abu Dhabi

      Look: A glimpse of Wahat Al Karama in Abu Dhabi


    • Supercentenarians: Know their secrets to longevity

      Supercentenarians: Know their secrets to longevity


    • Pictures: When dust enveloped many areas of UAE

      Pictures: When dust enveloped many areas of UAE

    Latest In

    • 'Pop Idol' and stage star Darius Campbell Danesh dies

      8 minutes ago

    • American Airlines orders 20 Boom supersonic jets

      38 minutes ago

    • EU says studying Iran response to ‘final’ nuclear text

      45 minutes ago

    • Chest pain, diarrhoea new symptoms in COVID patients

      54 minutes ago

    • Oil falls 1.5% on weak data, awaits Iran deal news

      58 minutes ago

    Go back to top
    Network links:
    • Friday
    • Watch Time
    • getthat
    • Jobs
    • Commercial Printing
    • About Gulf News
    • Contact us
    • Work with us
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Gulf News store
    • Advertise with us
    • Reach by GN
    • GN Focus
    • Gulf News epaper
    • Sitemap
    • Have your say
    Find us on Social
    © Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2022. All rights reserved.
    This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to improve your experience and provide more personalized service to you. Both on your website and other media. To find out more about the cookies and data we use, please check out our Privacy Policy.
    Share on Facebook
    Share on Twitter
    Share on Whatsapp
    Share on Mail
    Share on LinkedIn
    Close
    Gulf News

    Get Breaking News Alerts From Gulf News

    We’ll send you latest news updates through the day. You can manage them any time by clicking on the notification icon.

    Subscribe No Thanks
    Continue reading Gulf News
    Dear Reader, please register to read gulfnews.com

    Dear Reader,

    This section is about Living in UAE and essential information you cannot live without.

    Register to read and get full access to gulfnews.com

    Create your account
    or login if you already have one
    First name is required.
    Last name is required.
    Please enter a valid email address.
    Password should have minimum 7 characters with at least one letter and number
    Passwords do not match

    By clicking below to sign up, you're agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

    Login your account
    New to Gulf News? Sign up now
    Please enter your email address.
    Please enter your password.

    Forgot password

    or