African Giant Pouched Rat Ronin Earns Guinness World Record For Most Landmines Detected

In a historic achievement for demining, APOPO has announced that Ronin, an African giant pouched rat, has been recognized by Guinness World Records for the most landmines detected by a rat.

Ronins milestone coincided with World Rat Day and the International Day for Mine Awareness on April 4, spotlighting the unique and vital contributions of animals in life-saving operations.

Since his deployment to Cambodia in August 2021, Ronin has located 109 landmines and 15 pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXO), surpassing the previous record held by HeroRAT Magawa. With potentially two more years of service ahead, the five-year-old rat is expected to extend his record further.

“Guinness World Records feats arent always just about smashing milestones — sometimes they can be about smashing preconceptions too,” said Adam Millward, Managing Editor at Guinness World Records. “The life-changing results of APOPOs HeroRATs, their handlers and all the people involved with training and caring for these incredible animals is a revelatory example of the good that can be achieved when humans and animals work together.”

Ronins success stems from positive reinforcement training at APOPOs headquarters in Morogoro, Tanzania. He was trained using clicker techniques that associate the sound of a click with a treat, such as bananas or peanuts, motivating him to detect explosive scents. Once trained, Ronin began working systematically in gridded areas, indicating a find by scratching at the ground.

“Ronins achievements are a testament to the incredible potential of positive reinforcement training. Hes not just an asset; hes a valued partner and colleague,” said Phanny, Ronins handler.

APOPO ensures that HeroRATs like Ronin work for only 30 minutes in the early morning to prevent exhaustion and allow time for rest and play. Their welfare is central to APOPOs mission, and when rats retire — usually around eight years of age — they join a retirement colony to live out their days in comfort.

The announcement also shines a light on Cambodias landmine crisis. The country still faces contamination from an estimated 4 to 6 million landmines and UXOs, which have killed roughly 20,000 people and injured another 45,000 since 1979. In 2023 alone, 32 incidents were reported. HeroRATs help accelerate clearance, moving Cambodia closer to its goal of becoming landmine-free.

Worldwide, more than 110 million landmines remain buried across 60 countries. In 2023, 5,241 casualties were recorded, nearly half of whom were children. APOPOs innovative rat-led detection methods have cleared millions of square meters of land, drastically improving safety for affected communities.

“When we launched APOPO, the common view was that it would take around 500 years to clear all landmines from the Earths surface,” said Christophe Cox, CEO of APOPO. “Twenty-five years later, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and if the international community fully supports the collaboration of all demining operators, we could clear the remaining minefields in our lifetime.”

Ronins impact doesnt stop in the field. Supporters can now adopt him through APOPOs HeroRAT adoption program, helping fund the continued fight against landmines and support animal welfare.