Rats often get a bad rap, but Ronin, an African giant pouched rat is rewriting the narrative by setting a new world record for detecting land mines and saving lives along the way.
Ronin broke the record for the most land mines detected by a rat, uncovering 109 land mines and 15 other pieces of unexploded ordnance in a region close to Siem Reap in Cambodia between August 2021 and February 2025, according to Guinness World Records.
“Ronin’s achievements are a testament to the incredible potential of rats,” his main handler Phanny told the Guinness publication.
Land mines remain a deadly threat in former war zones, especially in Cambodia, where over 65,000 people have been killed or injured since 1979, according to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor.
There are an estimated 110 million land mines still buried across more than 60 countries. In 2023 alone, land mines caused 5,757 casualties worldwide — over a third of them children, according to the 2024 Landmine Monitor. Organizations like Belgian nonprofit APOPO are turning to rats to help tackle the crisis head-on.
They are smart and light enough not to trigger mines and, with their sharp sense of smell, are able to safely sniff out explosives.
Ronin is part of a team of over 100 specially trained rats deployed by APOPO to sniff out land mines by detecting explosive chemicals. An area that would take a human deminer up to four days to cover, a rat like Ronin can cover in just 30 minutes.
“Ronin’s success likely comes from his sharp focus, strong work ethic and love of problem-solving,” APOPO’s Lily Shallom said.
“His intelligence and natural curiosity help him stay engaged. Finding land mines is like a fun game to him, and no two days are the same.”
Ronin toppled the title of legendary Magawa — another APOPO-trained rat who found 71 land mines and 38 unexploded devices during five years of service. Magawa, a celebrated hero in his own right, died peacefully in January 2022.
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