I despised rats, until I visited the country where they are heroes
Beyond their filthy haunts, they are destructive to native species and guilty of spreading diseases. So, what gives these pesky, long-tailed rodents legendary status in Cambodia?
My unexpected rat redemption tour begins at the APOPO Visitor Centre. Translating to Anti-Personnel Landmine Removal Product Development, the Belgian NGO helps vulnerable communities worldwide with specialty-trained scent-detecting animals. As one of the world's most landmine-affected countries, APOPO assists Cambodia by training African giant poached rats to sniff out the chemical compounds in TNT. It's estimated Cambodia has four to six million landmines and explosive remnants scattered throughout the country due to three decades of conflicts.
Clearly, these rats have a big job to do. And becoming a Hero isn't easy.
I join a guided tour to discover how these giant rats put their superhero noses to work. Bearing a slight resemblance to Rottnest Island's famed quokkas in Western Australia, they undergo vigorous clicker and scent training before becoming fully-fledged Heroes, searching for explosives. Their mass is advantageous, too, with their slender frames weighing no more than 1.5 kilograms; landmines usually require five kilograms of pressure to be triggered.
APOPO's Hero Rats were first deployed alongside manual de-miners, technical survey dogs and machines to clear minefields in the Siem Reap province in 2014. The rats have since expanded operations in Cambodia, proving their efficiency in scouting an area the size of a tennis court in 30 minutes; an area that would take a human four days. The rats' excellent productivity is a game-changer.
It's time to see them in action. Two trainers stand opposite each other on a pitch, a rat on a leash between them. The rat is on a mission, darting back and forth between the trainers in a straight line, eventually snuffing out planted finds. The rat is treated to a banana, and I join the crowd applauding its fieldwork. Soon after, I exercise my new-found affection for rats with a meet and greet, exuberantly holding Cambodia's furry Hero in my arms.
Bananas and human endorsements aside, other rats are rewarded with gold. One of their comrades, the late Magawa, was awarded a PDSA Gold Medal for life-saving bravery – the animal equivalent of the George Cross. A large picture of Magawa with his pea-sized gold medal around his neck hangs in the APOPO Visitor Centre. These rats really are heroes….
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Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
If African safari is on your wish list, this lodge is worth every cent
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The Age
7 days ago
- The Age
If African safari is on your wish list, this lodge is worth every cent
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9 News
08-08-2025
- 9 News
US pauses most visa applications from Zimbabwe
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here The United States has announced a pause on all routine visa applications for citizens of Zimbabwe , the latest restriction on travellers from Africa. It came days after the US unveiled a pilot project requiring citizens of two other African countries, Malawi and Zambia, to pay a bond of up to US$15,000 (A$23,000) for tourist or business visas. The bond will be forfeited if the applicant stays in the US after their visa expires. The State Department said the US Embassy in Zimbabwe would pause all routine visa services starting on Friday "while we address concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe." Donald Trump has made it much harder for citizens of many African countries to visit the US. (AP) The embassy described the measure as temporary and part of the Trump administration's efforts to "prevent visa overstay and misuse." Most diplomatic and official visas would be exempt from the pause, the U.S. said. The US has enforced new travel restrictions on citizens from several African countries under President Donald Trump's broader immigration enforcement policies. In June, the US put in place travel bans on citizens from 12 countries, seven of them in Africa. It applied heightened restrictions on seven other nations, three of them African. The US has also demanded that 36 countries, the majority of them in Africa, improve their vetting of travellers or face a ban on their citizens visiting the United States. Citizens of certain African countries can now only enter the US through three airports, including Logan Airport in Boston. (Adobe Stock) Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia were all on that list of 36 countries asked to improve their citizens' travel documentation and take steps to address the status of their nationals who are in the US illegally. "The Trump Administration is protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process," the US State Department said Thursday. The new bond policy announced on Tuesday requires Malawians and Zambians to pay bonds of $7600, $15,000 or $23,000 as part of their application for a tourist or business visa to the US. Under the program, citizens of those countries must also arrive and depart at one of three airports; Boston's Logan International Airport, New York's JFK International Airport or Dulles International Airport near Washington DC. The visa bond pilot program will start on August 20, the State Department said. Zimbabwe is home to Victoria Falls, one of the most dazzling natural wonders in the world. (Adobe Stock) Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox. Donald Trump Africa Zimbabwe USA US POLITICS immigration CONTACT US
