Rats have been qualified to search for earthquake fighters.
Rats wearing tiny backpacks are being trained to search for earthquake survivors buried beneath rubble.
Mice, location trackers, and video equipment can be carried by the rodents.
Dr Donna Kean, 33, of Glasgow, has been training the animals in Tanzania, East Africa.
“Rats would be able to get into small spaces to reach victims buried under rubble,” she explained.
We have the ability to communicate with victims via the rat.”
The rodents are also taught to respond to a ‘beep,’ which summons them back to the cage.
“They are extremely adept at surviving in a variety of environments, demonstrating their suitability for search and rescue work.”
Donna is collaborating with the non-profit organization APOPO, which has previously trained African pouched rats to detect landmines and detect tuberculosis from human sputum samples.
“They are very trainable,” she said. “The first stage is to train them to return to base point – they respond to a beep.”
