In an emergency, help can come from any source. And for a group of scientists in Tanzania, they’re turning to specially trained rats to aid in search and rescue efforts. The program, called HeroRATS, is funded by APOPO, a non-profit focused on teaching animals new skills to help provided aid, according to an article in Daily Hive. The the idea first came to founder Bart Weetjens in 1995, and the organization now works in countries around the world.
The program uses African giant pouched rats who, wearing little backpacks, are taught to search through collapsed buildings and trip a switch when they find someone who may be trapped or need assistance. Once the switch is flipped, they then return to the trainers for a reward.
While only seven rats have graduated their training so far, another 170 are still going through the program, and will soon be available to help out those in need. The organization also works with dogs in similar detection efforts.
Source:
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/rats-training-rescue-earthquake
