Arthur Greene
Magawa, a rat who received a gold medal for heroism after a lifetime of clearing landmines, has died aged eight.
The Tanzanian giant African pouched rat cleared landmines across 225,000 square metres of land across a glittering career.
This is the equivalent of around 42 football pitches.
Magawa retired in June last year after detecting over 100 landmines and other explosives in the Cambodian countryside.
His “amazing sense of smell” allowed him to detect explosives much quicker than a standard metal detector, according to Apopo, the charity which trained him.
At his peak, Magawa could cover a space the size of a tennis court in 30 minutes – a metal detector would take four days to do the same job.
His stellar career has been recognised with a glimmering array of awards and honours.
After retiring, he won the PDSA Gold Medal for his “life-saving devotion to duty”, becoming the first ever rat to win the award.
He spent his well-earned retirement playing and eating his favourite snacks – bananas and peanuts.
He is said to have passed away peacefully in his sleep.
“All of us at Apopo are feeling the loss of Magawa and we are grateful for the incredible work he’s done,” Apopo said in a statement.
Image source: Homeland Security Today
