In a remarkable achievement, Ronin, an African giant pouched rat, has been recognized by Guinness World Records for detecting the most landmines by a rat.

Since his deployment in August 2021, Ronin has uncovered 109 landmines and 15 unexploded ordnance items in Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province.

Trained by the Belgian non-profit APOPO, Ronin’s exceptional olfactory abilities and lightweight build make him ideal for safely identifying buried explosives without triggering them.  

Ronin’s accomplishment surpasses the previous record held by Magawa, another HeroRAT trained by APOPO. His success underscores the vital role that trained animals can play in humanitarian demining efforts, particularly in regions heavily affected by past conflicts. As Cambodia continues to recover from its war-torn history, Ronin’s contributions bring renewed hope for safer communities.  

Source: CNN

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/07/asia/cambodia-rat-ronin-guinness-record-intl-hnk/index.html