A famous mine-clearing rat, who was awarded a gold medal for his heroism, has been commemorated with the world's first statue dedicated to a landmine-detecting rat.
Magawa, who lived to eight years old, sniffed out over 100 landmines and other explosives in Cambodia during his five-year career that started in 2016.
A statue of the rodent carved from local stone by artists was unveiled in Siem Reap, Cambodia on Friday, in time for the International Day for Mine Awareness on 4 April.
Landmines remain an ongoing risk to Cambodia, with more than a million people continuing to work and live on land contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance, according to the United Nations.
Magawa was trained by the Belgian charity Apopo before being deployed in Cambodia. Using his acute sense of smell, he detected and alerted human handlers to explosives, saving countless lives.
During his tenure, Magawa cleared more than 141,000 square meters of land—equivalent to about 20 football pitches. In 2020, he received the prestigious PDSA Gold Medal, known as the George Cross for animals, recognizing his exemplary service.
Despite his retirement in 2022 due to age, his legacy lives on through the new statue and continued efforts towards a mine-free Cambodia by 2030.
