AN APOPO HANDLER WITH A FIVE WEEK OLD CAPTIVE BRED GIANT POUCHED RAT (CRICETOMYS GAMBIANUS) AT THE APOPO TRAINING CENTRE, SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, MOROGORO, TANZANIA. WILD RATS ARE CAUGHT THEN BRED TO PRODUCE YOUNG FOR TRAINING. AT FIVE WEEKS THEY ARE HANDLED REGULARLY SO THEY BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO HUMANS PRIOR TO TRAINING. AT THE CENTRE THE BELGIUM COMPANY (APOPO), THE BRAINCHILD OF BART WEETJENS, IS TRAINING RATS TO DETECT LANDMINES FOR USE IN WAR TORN REGIONS. THE RATS ARE CONSIDERED IDEALLY SUITED FOR THE JOB OF MINE DETECTION BEING CHEAPER TO TRAIN
AN APOPO HANDLER WITH A FIVE WEEK OLD CAPTIVE BRED GIANT POUCHED RAT (CRICETOMYS GAMBIANUS) AT THE APOPO TRAINING CENTRE, SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, MOROGORO, TANZANIA. WILD RATS ARE CAUGHT THEN BRED TO PRODUCE YOUNG FOR TRAINING. AT FIVE WEEKS THEY ARE HANDLED REGULARLY SO THEY BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO HUMANS PRIOR TO TRAINING. AT THE CENTRE THE BELGIUM COMPANY (APOPO), THE BRAINCHILD OF BART WEETJENS, IS TRAINING RATS TO DETECT LANDMINES FOR USE IN WAR TORN REGIONS. THE RATS ARE CONSIDERED IDEALLY SUITED FOR THE JOB OF MINE DETECTION BEING CHEAPER TO TRAIN THAN THE MORE CONVENTIONAL SNIFFER DOGS, ASWELL AS BEING EASIER TO TRANSPORT AND LESS PRONE TO BOND TO SPECIFIC HANDLERS. THE RATS ARE ALSO RESISTANT TO DISEASE AND RELATIVELY CHEAP TO HOUSE AND FEED. THEY HAVE BEEN USED WITH SUCCESS IN MOZAMBIQUE WHERE TO DATE THEY HAVE CLEARED 38 KMS OF MINED ROADWAYS. THE RATS THEMSELVES ARE TOO LIGHT TO SET OFF LANDMINES AND ARE THOUGHT TO BE A POSSIBLE LOW COST WAY TO BE USED IN THE FUTURE TO LOCATE THE MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED MILLION LANDMINES DEPLOYED IN MORE THAN 90 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE. MR BART WEEJANS, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF APOPO, SAID: 'RATS CAN BE PREFERENTIAL TO DOGS WHICH OFTEN GET OVER EXCITED AFTER FINDING A MINE AND HAVE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE MINED AREA FOR HALF AN HOUR OR MORE. THE RATS ON THE OTHER HAND ARE PURELY INTERESTED ON GETTING AS MUCH REWARD (BANANAS AND PEANUTS) AS THEY CAN, WHICH MEANS THEY CAN GO FROM ONE MINE TO ANOTHER WITHOUT DELAY. THEY ARE TOO LIGHT TO SET OFF MINES, UNLIKE THE HEAVIER DOGS AND BECAUSE OF THEIR LOWER INTELLIGENCE ARE MORE SUITED TO THE REPETITIVE WORK THAN DOGS.' THE CAPTIVE BRED RATS WHICH START THEIR TRAINING AT FIVE WEEKS CAN BE READY FOR THE FIELD WITHIN FOUR MONTHS.
Size: 2048px × 3072px
Location: Tanzania MOROGORO
Photo credit: © GARY ROBERTS / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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