Rats are utilized for landmine detection primarily due to their ease of maintenance and small size, which allows them to operate safely in mined areas.
Key Advantages of Using Rats for Mine Detection
Based on their characteristics, rats offer several practical benefits that make them suitable candidates for detecting landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERWs).
Here are the main reasons why rats are employed:
- Easy Field Maintenance: Rats are easy to maintain at a field site, which means that organizations can sustain sizeable colonies of trained animals relatively inexpensively and effectively in operational areas. This contrasts with more complex or costly methods that might require significant infrastructure or resources.
- Safe Operation: Their small size is a critical advantage. They are light enough to walk over mines and ERWs without activating them. The reference specifically notes that no accidental discharges have occurred when using rats for detection, highlighting their safety for both the animals and the demining teams.
These factors combine to make rats a viable, safe, and cost-effective tool in the challenging and dangerous task of clearing landmines from affected areas.
Summary of Advantages
| Feature | Benefit | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Easy to maintain in the field | Allows for large, operational colonies |
| Size | Small and lightweight | Can walk over mines/ERWs without activation; ensures safety of operation |
Using rats trained to detect the scent of explosives provides a complementary method to traditional demining techniques, often used to survey areas more efficiently and safely.
