Brave Working Rats Wear Tiny Backpacks to Train in Search and Rescue Operations

@herorats

Our dedicated team is exploring to sniff out other scent detection applications for our HeroRATs while conducting foundational research to deepen our understanding of these remarkable creatures, that we call our heroes. Due to their size and remarkable agility, our rats possess unique capabilities that could significantly enhance existing search and rescue operations. Our project is focused on training these rats to locate humans, leveraging technology-enabled backpacks for real-time wireless audio-visual communication within debris sites. #ratsoftiktok #herorats #APOPO #rats #apopoherorats #searchandrescue #herorat

? Powerful songs like action movie music – Tansa

The non-profit organization APOPO, which got its start in Belgium, has fitted their brave HeroRATs (African giant pouched rats) with tiny smart backpacks that provide constant communication while training them for search and rescue operations.

Due to their size and remarkable agility, our rats possess unique capabilities that could significantly enhance existing search and rescue operations. One project is focused on training these rats to locate survivors, wearing smart backpacks for real-time audio-visual communication.

@herorats

HeroRATs on a mission ?: Tiny backpacks, big impact. These remarkable rats are also sniffing out landmines, tuberculosis and saving lives. ? #herorats #apopoherorats #rats #ratsoftiktok #APOPO #searchandrescue

? Pirates Of The Caribbean – Main Theme – He’s A Pirate – Geek Music

The HeroRats and HeroDOGs (Belgian shepherds) of APOPO also sniff out deadly tuberculosis and left-behind landmines. Their services offer a low cost way to help people recover and develop within their own communities.

APOPO’s scent detection animals, nicknamed ‘HeroRATs’ and ‘HeroDOGs’, help to rid the world of landmines and tuberculosis – returning safe land back to communities for development, and freeing people from serious illness so they can get back on their feet.

@herorats

With the valuable lessons learned from the last few months of training and with the preliminary promising results of the RescueRAT project, the team welcomed project partner, GEA (a major Turkish Search and Rescue organization) to participate in the search and rescue training exercises and bring their expertise to the table. With a new prototype of the backpack ready to be tested, the project will be moving to Turkey this summer for operational trials aimed at integrating these clever little heroes into Search & Rescue operations. #HeroRAT #APOPO #apopoherorats #scentdetection #workingrats #rats #ratsoftiktokrats #savinglives

? Exercise – Vin Music

Of course the animals get yummy treats after working hard to save the world.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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