The blog discuss how African giant pouched rats are being trained to detect smuggled exotic animals and illegal products.
The Problem of Poaching and Smuggling: Countries in Africa have been grappling with poaching and smuggling for a long time. Animals like elephants and rhinoceroses are hunted for their valuable ivory tusks and horns, respectively, often leading to their deaths.
More Than Just Tusks and Horns: The smuggling extends beyond elephants and rhinoceroses. Pangolins, small scaled mammals, are among the most trafficked mammals globally. Additionally, African Blackwood, a type of wood, is illegally logged and smuggled.
Introducing the Rodent Detectives: African giant pouched rats, known for their intelligence and exceptional sense of smell, are stepping up to combat this illegal trade.
Training Techniques: These furry detectives are being trained using target training methods, rewarded with treats when they correctly identify target scents. They also undergo “discrimination training” to learn to ignore non-target items.
From Lab to Airport: The rats will soon face their biggest test at the Dar es Salaam airport in Tanzania. Their success in identifying contraband in a busy environment with various smells will determine their final deployment to travel spaces like airports within the next couple of years.
How It Works: The rats wear small vests equipped with a ball that resembles a bell on a cat collar. When they detect a forbidden item, they pull the ball, triggering a beeping sound that alerts their handlers.
Impressive Progress: Research is still in its trial phases, but the rats have demonstrated remarkable ability, successfully identifying target items among over 150 non-target objects like socks or watches.
This initiative showcases the innovative use of animal intelligence to address a pressing issue. With their keen sense of smell and impressive training, these giant rats are poised to become valuable assets in the fight against exotic animal smuggling.
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