How many lives the African giant rats have saved is difficult to know, but they are numerous. In the Southeast Asian country, the rats have become indispensable in the search for landmines that have killed and maimed thousands of Cambodians over the years.
The rats, which can grow up to 45 centimeters long and weigh 1.5 kilos, move smoothly across the fields and mark for their leaders when they smell the explosive substance used in landmines.
When I work with these rats, I always find mines, they don't miss a single one, says Mott Sreymom, 34 years old and rat handler in the mine clearance organization Apopo. The organization trains rodent detection teams that not only work in Cambodia but are also sent to other parts of the world where mines are a problem.
Cambodia, after more than 30 years of civil war, became one of the most mined countries in the world. Around 20,000 people have died and twice as many have been injured by landmines and explosive ammunition that lie in the ground.
The rats have a well-developed sense of smell. In addition, they are small and weigh less than, for example, dogs, which are also used by the mine clearance teams at Apopo.
I really trust these rats, says Mott to AP's correspondent on site in the province of Siem Reap in the northwestern part of the country.
We work with them almost daily, so we get close to them. They are very friendly and do not get scared. They are like a family.
