Hero rat that sniffed out over 70 landmines retires

A rat named Magawa, who is credited with saving lives, is retiring after a five-year career of sniffing out landmines in Cambodia.

“With mixed feelings, we announce that PDSA Gold-medalist Magawa will be retiring this month. Although still in good health, he has reached a retirement age and is clearly starting to slow down,” APOPO, the group that trained the African giant pouched rat, tweeted Friday.

With mixed feelings, we announce that PDSA Gold-medalist Magawa will be retiring this month. Although still in good health, he has reached a retirement age and is clearly starting to slow down. It is time.

Thanks so much for supporting him!
Read more: https://t.co/so4e79BXeT pic.twitter.com/ZiFjWGGY5E

— APOPO (@HeroRATs) June 4, 2021

Magawa detected 38 items of exploded ordinances and 71 landmines, according to the announcement from APOPO.

He was born in November of 2014 and began his career in 2016 after training in APOPO’s research center in Tanzania.

The rat received the PDSA Gold Medal in September.

Over his career, Magawa sniffed out 2.4 million square feet of land. 

“During his illustrious five-year career, HeroRAT Magawa’s work has directly saved the lives of men, women and children who were impacted by hidden landmines and other deadly remnants of war. Every discovery he made reduced the risk of injury or death for the people of Cambodia,” the announcement states.