Ronin, The Landmine-Sniffing Rat, Sets Guinness Record With 124 Spottings
According to the non-profit APOPO, Ronin has uncovered 109 landmines and 15 unexploded items since 2021.
A landmine-detecting rat in Cambodia has made history by setting a new world record. Ronin, an African giant pouched rat, has become the first rodent to find more than 100 landmines and other deadly war remains. According to the non-profit APOPO, Ronin has uncovered 109 landmines and 15 unexploded items since 2021. He is currently five years old and is described as “hardworking but also friendly and relaxed." His handler, Phanny, told Guinness World Records, “Ronin’s achievements are a testament to the incredible potential of rats. He’s not just an asset; he’s a valued partner and colleague."
APOPO, which was founded in 1997, is based in Tanzania. Ronin works under APOPO’s HeroRAT programme. The initiative trains African giant pouched rats to detect the scent of explosives buried in the ground. These rats are trained to sniff out chemicals found in landmines and unexploded ordnance, helping clear areas that were once war zones. The rats are bred and raised at the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania before being prepared for fieldwork.
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The organisation now has 104 trained rats working in different parts of the world. These specially trained animals are helping remove dangerous items from countries like Cambodia, Ukraine, South Sudan and Azerbaijan. So far, APOPO has cleared over 169,000 landmines and other explosive materials worldwide.
Cambodia, where Ronin is currently deployed, still has millions of unexploded weapons left behind from almost two decades of civil war that ended in 1998.
Rats like Ronin are useful for this kind of work because of their small size and strong sense of smell. They are light enough not to trigger the mines and can search large areas much faster than people using metal detectors. APOPO says that no rat has ever been injured or killed during operations in the field.
Ronin is known for being focused and intelligent. Lily Shallom from APOPO said, “Ronin’s success likely comes from his sharp focus, strong work ethic and love of problem-solving. His intelligence and natural curiosity help him stay engaged. Finding landmines is like a fun game to him and no two days are the same."
The previous record holder was another HeroRAT named Magawa. He found 71 landmines and 38 unexploded items during his service. Magawa retired in 2021 and received a bravery medal from the PDSA. He passed away in 2022 due to old age.
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