In Cambodia, African giant pouched rats have become vital allies in detecting landmines that have devastated the Southeast Asian nation, despite the squeamishness they might cause some.

These substantial rodents – reaching up to 45cm (18in) long and weighing up to 1.5kg(3.3lb) – navigate minefields with agility, alerting handlers when they detect TNT, the primary explosive in most mines and ordnance.

“While working with these rats, I have always found mines and they have never skipped a single one,” said Mott Sreymom, a handler at APOPO, the humanitarian organisation that trains and deploys these detection teams globally. “I really trust these mine detection rats,” she told The Associated Press at a Siem Reap province minefield.

Cambodia’s land has been extensively contaminated after three decades of conflict. A 2004 survey by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) identified approximately 4,500 sq km (1,700sq miles) of affected terrain spanning all 25 provinces and nearly half of Cambodia’s villages. As of 2018, 1,970 sq km (760sq miles) remained uncleared.

The rats’ exceptional sense of smell makes them invaluable to APOPO, which also uses canine detection teams. “Dogs and rats are better compared to other animals because they are trainable,” explained Alberto Zacarias, a field supervisor for APOPO’s technical survey dog teams. “They are also friendly and easily learn commands.”

Since Cambodia’s demining efforts began officially in 1992, more than 1.1 million mines and approximately 2.9 million other explosive war remnants have been cleared, according to a 2022 government report.

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For handlers like Mott, these rodents are more than just detection tools: “We work with them almost daily, so we get closer. They are very friendly and they don’t move around and get scared. They are like family.”