A hero rat who spent his life detecting land mines died in retirement and was honored for his lifesaving work.
Magawa, an African giant pouched rat who detected over 100 land mines and explosives in Cambodia and was awarded a medal for his work, died last week at the age of 8 and was remembered by the APOPO, an organization headquartered in Belgium that trains animals to sniff out tuberculosis and mines, according to a report.
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“All of us at APOPO are feeling the loss of Magawa and we are grateful for the incredible work he’s done,” the organization said in a statement.
The rat was born in Tanzania in 2013 and was sent to Cambodia roughly three years later.
Countless mines and unexploded ordnance litter the Cambodian landscape following the nation’s civil war that ended in 1998, the report noted.
We received the sad news that #PDSAGoldMedal recipient, Magawa the HeroRAT, passed away over the weekend. ? In celebration of his life, watch his amazing story, saving lives in Cambodia through his landmine detection skills: https://t.co/QlrDQXh5Ao
R.I.P Magawa ??❤️ pic.twitter.com/x8u4MVoW9A
— PDSA (@PDSA_HQ) January 11, 2022
The explosives continue to kill and maim Cambodians every year.
Magawa uncovered at least 100 explosives during his five-year career before retiring in 2021, according to the APOPO.
In this video, Magawa the hero rat shows how he sniffs out bombs
READ MORE: https://t.co/Zhjz6GCrul pic.twitter.com/d8BqdPmphI
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 11, 2022
“His contribution allows communities in Cambodia to live, work, and play without fear of losing life or limb,” the group noted.
Magawa was awarded the Britain-based People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals gold medal in 2020 for his heroism. The honor is recognized as the highest award for gallantry an animal can receive, the report noted.
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Magawa’s death at only 8 years old is not unusual for his species. He enjoyed running in his sandbox and on his treadmill.
