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Bart Weetjens - Deploying Rats to Detect Landmines

July 7, 2009

Ten years ago the Ottawa Treaty on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines came into force. Today they still account for thousands of deaths every year. With the help of rats, Bart Weetjens wants to reduce this number.

Image: DW-TV

Traditionally dogs have been used to detect mines, but their training is costly and many struggle to cope with the climate in Africa. Five years ago the Tanzania-based organisation Apopo began training rats to do the task, and its founder Bart Weetjens is proud of the project's success.

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