Latest news with #MottSreymom
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Photos of the giant rats leading land mine detection efforts in Cambodia
SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AP) — Rats may send some squealing, but in Cambodia, teams of the not-so-little critters have become indispensable in helping specialists detect land mines that have killed and maimed thousands in the Southeast Asian country. The African giant pouched rats, which can grow up to 45 centimeters (around 18 inches) and weigh up to 1.5 kilograms (more than 3 pounds), are on the front line, making their way nimbly across fields to signal to their handlers when they get a whiff of TNT, used in most land mines and explosive ordnance . 'While working with these rats, I have always found mines and they have never skipped a single one,' said Mott Sreymom, a rat handler at APOPO, a humanitarian demining group that trains and deploys rodent detection teams across the world. 'I really trust these mine detection rats," Mott told The Associated Press while on her lunch break after working on a land mine field in the province of Siem Reap. After three decades of conflict in the previous century, remnants of war littered approximately 4,500 square kilometers (about 1,737 square miles) of Cambodian land, according to a survey by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) in 2004. This affected all 25 Cambodian provinces and nearly half of the country's 14,000 villages. As of 2018, CMAA reported 1,970 square kilometers (760 square miles) remain uncleared. The rats have a keen sense of smell, making them a favorite at APOPO, which also employs land mine-detecting dog teams. 'Dogs and rats are better compared to other animals because they are trainable,' said Alberto Zacarias, a field supervisor of APOPO's technical survey dog teams, adding that they are also friendly and easily learn commands. Since demining officially began in Cambodia in 1992, more than 1.1 million mines have been cleared, as well as approximately 2.9 million other explosive remnants of war, according to a 2022 government demining progress report. And the African giant pouched rats are doing their part. 'We work with them almost daily, so we get closer,' Mott said. 'They are very friendly and they don't move around and get scared. They are like family.'
7 days ago
- General
Photos of the giant rats leading land mine detection efforts in Cambodia
SIEM REAP, Cambodia -- Rats may send some squealing, but in Cambodia, teams of the not-so-little critters have become indispensable in helping specialists detect land mines that have killed and maimed thousands in the Southeast Asian country. The African giant pouched rats, which can grow up to 45 centimeters (around 18 inches) and weigh up to 1.5 kilograms (more than 3 pounds), are on the front line, making their way nimbly across fields to signal to their handlers when they get a whiff of TNT, used in most land mines and explosive ordnance. 'While working with these rats, I have always found mines and they have never skipped a single one,' said Mott Sreymom, a rat handler at APOPO, a humanitarian demining group that trains and deploys rodent detection teams across the world. 'I really trust these mine detection rats," Mott told The Associated Press while on her lunch break after working on a land mine field in the province of Siem Reap. After three decades of conflict in the previous century, remnants of war littered approximately 4,500 square kilometers (about 1,737 square miles) of Cambodian land, according to a survey by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) in 2004. This affected all 25 Cambodian provinces and nearly half of the country's 14,000 villages. As of 2018, CMAA reported 1,970 square kilometers (760 square miles) remain uncleared. The rats have a keen sense of smell, making them a favorite at APOPO, which also employs land mine-detecting dog teams. 'Dogs and rats are better compared to other animals because they are trainable,' said Alberto Zacarias, a field supervisor of APOPO's technical survey dog teams, adding that they are also friendly and easily learn commands. Since demining officially began in Cambodia in 1992, more than 1.1 million mines have been cleared, as well as approximately 2.9 million other explosive remnants of war, according to a 2022 government demining progress report. And the African giant pouched rats are doing their part. 'We work with them almost daily, so we get closer,' Mott said. 'They are very friendly and they don't move around and get scared. They are like family.'
Arab Times
7 days ago
- General
- Arab Times
Meet the rats sniffing out landmines in Cambodia
SIEM REAP, Cambodia, July 16, (AP): Rats may send some squealing, but in Cambodia, teams of the not-so-little critters have become indispensable in helping specialists detect land mines that have killed and maimed thousands in the Southeast Asian country. The African giant pouched rats, which can grow up to 45 centimeters (around 18 inches) and weigh up to 1.5 kilograms (more than 3 pounds), are on the front line, making their way nimbly across fields to signal to their handlers when they get a whiff of TNT, used in most land mines and explosive ordnance. "While working with these rats, I have always found mines and they have never skipped a single one,' said Mott Sreymom, a rat handler at APOPO, a humanitarian demining group that trains and deploys rodent detection teams across the world. "I really trust these mine detection rats," Mott told The Associated Press while on her lunch break after working on a land mine field in the province of Siem Reap. After three decades of conflict in the previous century, remnants of war littered approximately 4,500 square kilometers (about 1,737 square miles) of Cambodian land, according to a survey by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) in 2004. This affected all 25 Cambodian provinces and nearly half of the country's 14,000 villages. As of 2018, CMAA reported 1,970 square kilometers (760 square miles) remain uncleared. The rats have a keen sense of smell, making them a favorite at APOPO, which also employs landmine-detecting dog teams. "Dogs and rats are better compared to other animals because they are trainable,' said Alberto Zacarias, a field supervisor of APOPO's technical survey dog teams, adding that they are also friendly and easily learn commands. Since demining officially began in Cambodia in 1992, more than 1.1 million mines have been cleared, as well as approximately 2.9 million other explosive remnants of war, according to a 2022 government demining progress report. And the African giant pouched rats are doing their part. "We work with them almost daily, so we get closer,' Mott said. "They are very friendly and they don't move around and get scared. They are like family.'
South China Morning Post
7 days ago
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Rat-ical solution: the giant pouched rodents saving lives in Cambodia's minefields
Rats may send some squealing, but in Cambodia , teams of the not-so-little critters have become indispensable in helping specialists detect landmines that have killed and maimed thousands in the Southeast Asian country. The African giant pouched rats, which can grow up to 45cm (18 inches) and weigh up to 1.5kg (3.3 pounds), are on the front line, making their way nimbly across fields to signal to their handlers when they get a whiff of TNT, used in most landmines and explosive ordnance. 'While working with these rats, I have always found mines, and they have never skipped a single one,' said Mott Sreymom, a rat handler at APOPO, a humanitarian demining group that trains and deploys rodent detection teams across the world. 'I really trust these mine detection rats,' Mott said from near a landmine field in the province of Siem Reap. Mott Sreymom, a rat handler with a humanitarian demining organisation applies sunblock to an African giant pouched rat in preparation for a day of demining in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Photo: AP Following three decades of conflict in the last century, remnants of war continue to affect approximately 4,500 square km (1,737 square miles) of land in Cambodia, according to a 2004 survey by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA). This issue impacts all 25 provinces in Cambodia and nearly half of the country's 14,000 villages.
Al Jazeera
7 days ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
Photos: Cambodia deploys rodents for life-saving mine detection operations
Published On 16 Jul 2025 16 Jul 2025 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. 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.'
