Heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
Magawa, an African giant pouched rat trained to detect land mines, was famous for his skill.
Nonprofit Apopo, which breeds and trains rats like Magawa,announced his death in a statementon Tuesday.
He had turned 8 in November.
Born in Tanzania, Magawa started his explosive-sniffing career in Cambodia in 2016 and retired in 2021.
He was one of a group of rodents called HeroRats.
Magawa was the most successful working rat in the program, earning aprestigious PDSA Gold Medal in 2020.
He was the first rat to receive the honor, which recognizes animals for bravery and devotion to duty.
Magawa’s legacy lives on as Apopo’s rat program continues.
“Clearing minefields is intense, difficult, dangerous work and demands accuracy and time.
This is where Apopo’s animal detection systems can increase efficiency and cut costs,” the group said.
According to the National Pouched Rat Society, the animals have a lifespan of up to eight years.
Apopo said Magawa died peacefully.
