A 'hero rat' who once cleared landmines and saved countless lives in Cambodia is now being commemorated with a statue. According to a BBC report, the African giant pouched rat 'Magawa' was recently honored with a sculpted statue in the country, becoming the world’s first monument dedicated exclusively to a landmine detection rat.
This statue is located in Siem Reap, sculpted from stone by a local artist, and was unveiled around April 4th to coincide with International Mine Awareness Day, symbolizing a tribute to this legendary mine-detecting rat.
The African giant pouched rat 'Magawa', renowned for clearing landmines and saving lives in Cambodia, was recently commemorated locally—a first-of-its-kind statue for a bomb detection rat.
Magawa began its mine-clearing mission in Cambodia in 2016 and during about five years of service, successfully detected over 100 landmines and other explosive devices. Magawa helped clear over 141,000 square meters of land—the equivalent of 20 football fields. Its efficiency far surpassed that of humans, able to search an area the size of a tennis court in just about 20 minutes.
According to reports, Magawa was trained by the Belgian charity APOPO. With its keen sense of smell, it could detect chemicals in explosives, then alert handlers, who would safely remove the device. Due to its lightweight body, Magawa would not trigger landmines, making it safer compared to human deminers.
Magawa’s contributions have received international recognition. In 2020, it was awarded the PDSA Gold Medal, regarded as one of the highest honors for animals, and was the first rat to receive the award in its 77-year history. After retiring, Magawa passed away in 2022 at the age of 8.
However, the threat from landmines is not yet over. According to United Nations data, more than a million people in Cambodia still live on land contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance. APOPO Cambodia program manager Ream stated that one of the purposes of the statue is also to remind the international community that mine clearance work is far from over, with the local goal to become a 'mine-free country' by 2030.
Moreover, the work of hero rats continues. Another trained mine-detection rat, 'Ronin', set a new record in 2025, having found 109 landmines and 15 items of unexploded ordnance since 2021, surpassing Magawa's achievements.