Remarkable Rodent: Breaking Records in Mine Detection, Saving Countless Lives
Rat hero Ronin, with his superb sniffer, is revolutionizing the way landmines are detected ․․․․ A rodent prodigy named Ronin is actively working to enhance rat reputation everywhere.
By partnering with his extraordinary landmine-detecting rat pack, he's saving countless lives from hidden explosives.
The colossal African giant pouched rat made global headlines recently, thanks to his outstanding achievements recognized by Guinness World Records. Between 2021 and 2025, Ronin excavated an impressive 109 landmines and 15 additional pieces of unexploded ordnance in a Cambodian region near Siem Reap.
Phanny, Ronin's dedicated handler, celebrated the rats incredible potential after his record-breaking findings.
Landmines remain a significant issue in areas formerly ravaged by conflict. The dangerous explosives, concealed in the ground, aim to injure or kill unassuming civilians who happen upon them. In Cambodia alone, more than 65,000 deaths and injuries have resulted from these brutal devices since the Khmer Rouge regime came to an end in 1979, according to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor.
Their controversial nature stems from their indiscriminate killing power and the menace they pose for decades after hostilities have ceased, leaving behind deadly and hidden threats.
Detecting landmines is no easy task. They're notoriously tricky to locate, making rats a valuable asset to the cause. Their intelligence, nimbleness, and heightened sense of smell make them exceptional mine finders. They also avoid triggering the explosives since they're too light.
It's crucial work. An estimated 110 million landmines are still buried in over 60 countries worldwide, as reported by landmine detection nonprofit APOPO. In the year 2023, landmines claimed 5,757 casualties globally, with 37% of the victims being children, reported the 2024 Landmine Monitor.
Ronin is one of more than 100 APOPO-trained rats proficient at detecting the scent of potentially lethal explosive chemicals, marking dangerous landmines for their handlers.
These rats not only save lives by eliminating the threat of landmines but also offer their medical expertise in combating tuberculosis.
APOPO's rat team can thoroughly scan an area the size of a tennis court in just 30 minutes. This speed is a stark contrast to a deminer with a metal detector, who might take up to four days to complete the same task.
Ronin, a 5-year-old rat born in Tanzania, measures over 2 feet long, making him much larger than your typical pet rat. He weighs approximately 2.6 pounds, according to APOPO.
The Preah Vihear province of Cambodia, where Ronin serves, possesses one of the highest landmine densities in the world. Years of conflict in the 20th century have left the region strewn with debris, including thousands of landmines dropped during the Vietnam War by the United States.
The US dropped a catastrophic 2.7 million tons of ordnance, including cluster bombs and submunitions on Cambodia, during a four-year carpet-bombing campaign in the 1960s and 1970s. Up to a quarter of the cluster bombs failed to detonate, remaining buried, active, and dangerous—but out of sight, as a 2019 report from the United States Congressional Research Service unveiled.
Despite years of demining efforts, an estimated 4 to 6 million landmines continue to lurk hidden in Cambodia, according to APOPO.
Ronin surpassed the achievements of his predecessor, Magawa, who detected 71 landmines and 38 pieces of unexploded ordnance during his five-year career. Magawa passed peacefully in January 2022.
- Magawa, a previous APOPO-trained rat, detected significantly fewer landmines and unexploded ordnance compared to Ronin, who operated in Asia, saving numerous lives in a Cambodian region near Siem Reap, with a total of 109 landmines and 15 additional pieces excavated between 2021 and 2025.
- The work of these exceptional rodents in Asia, like Ronin and Magawa, is crucial for the global public, especially in areas like Cambodia where the average number of landmines hiding in the soil remains staggeringly high, with an estimated 4 to 6 million still buried according to APOPO.
- Over 100 APOPO rats, including Magawa and Ronin, have demonstrated their impressive abilities, marking potentially lethal explosives, and contributing to the averagely 5,757 casualties avoided each year worldwide due to their scent-detecting skills, as reported by the 2024 Landmine Monitor.
