Giant rats could soon fight against the illegal wildlife trade by sniffing out elephant tusk and rhino horn. Photo: APOPO
Giant rats could soon fight against the illegal wildlife trade by sniffing out elephant tusk and rhino horn. Photo: APOPO
Giant rats could soon fight against the illegal wildlife trade by sniffing out elephant tusk and rhino horn. Photo: APOPO
Giant rats could soon fight against the illegal wildlife trade by sniffing out elephant tusk and rhino horn. Photo: APOPO

Giant rats could stop poachers by sniffing out elephant tusk and rhino horn


Neil Murphy
  • English
  • Arabic

Giant rats are being enlisted to help stop the wildlife trade by sniffing out items highly prized by traffickers, including pangolin scales, elephant ivory, rhino horn and African blackwood.

African giant pouched rats have previously been trained to find explosives and the tuberculosis-causing pathogen. However, a new study has shown the rodents could be a more cost-efficient way to combat poaching than sniffer dogs.

“Our study shows that we can train African giant pouched rats to detect illegally trafficked wildlife, even when it has been concealed among other substances,” said Dr Isabelle Szott, a researcher at the Okeanos Foundation, and first co-writer of the study published in Frontiers in Conservation Science.

“The rats also continued to detect the wildlife targets after not encountering that species for a long period,” added first co-writer Dr Kate Webb, an assistant professor at Duke University.

In real life settings, rats will be able to pull a small ball attached at the chest of their vest, which emits a beeping sound. This way rats will be able to alert their handlers when they detect a target. Image: APOPO
In real life settings, rats will be able to pull a small ball attached at the chest of their vest, which emits a beeping sound. This way rats will be able to alert their handlers when they detect a target. Image: APOPO

The wildlife black market is worth at least $23 billion annually and directly threatens species and their habitats.

Dr Szott believes that the rats could soon make an impact at transport hubs across the world, including in the Middle East and North Africa where poachers have used to smuggle illicit items such as ivory and animal tusks.

“I think that once rats begin operations and make their first 'bust' demand for them might increase quite rapidly”, Dr Szott told The National.

The study shows that African giant pouched rats to detect illegally trafficked wildlife, even when it has been concealed among other substances. Image: APOPO
The study shows that African giant pouched rats to detect illegally trafficked wildlife, even when it has been concealed among other substances. Image: APOPO

The rats – named Kirsty, Marty, Attenborough, Irwin, Betty, Teddy, Ivory, Ebony, Desmond, Thoreau and Fossey – were trained at APOPO Training and Research Centre in Tanzania.

They underwent several stages of training, the first of which hold their noses for several seconds in a hole in which the target scent was placed. When they correctly performed this ‘nose poke’ they were rewarded with flavoured rodent pellets.

The rats were also introduced to non-target odours, including electric cables, coffee beans and washing powder which poachers use to mask the scent of trafficked wildlife.

During their training, the rats were rewarded with flavoured rodent pellets. Image: APOPO
During their training, the rats were rewarded with flavoured rodent pellets. Image: APOPO

The rats also showed remarkable ability to remember smells, sometimes recalling scents they had not encountered for five and eight months. This suggests that their cognitive retention performance is close to that of dogs.

The researchers believe their proof-of principle-study shows that rats could be used by authorities around the world soon, with interest already emerging from France and Singapore.

Soon, the rats will be trained to scour areas that are difficult for humans or canines to operate, such as cargo holds in international ports and others where the illicit trade is often allowed to pass through unhindered.

The rats learned to identify and remember the scent of pangolin scales, elephant ivory, rhino horn and African blackwood. Photo: APOPO
The rats learned to identify and remember the scent of pangolin scales, elephant ivory, rhino horn and African blackwood. Photo: APOPO

The team was piloting a system where the rats wear custom-made vests with a small ball that contains a microswitch that emits a beeping sound when activated, alerting their handler when they have detected a target.

“The vests are a great example of developing hardware that could be useful across different settings and tasks, including at a shipping port to detect smuggled wildlife,” said Dr Webb.

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

MATCH INFO

Champions League last 16, first leg

Tottenham v RB Leipzig, Wednesday, midnight (UAE)

Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Day 2, Dubai Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Pakistan’s effort in the field had hints of shambles about it. The wheels were officially off when Wahab Riaz lost his run up and aborted the delivery four times in a row. He re-measured his run, jogged in for two practice goes. Then, when he was finally ready to go, he bailed out again. It was a total cringefest.

Stat of the day – 139.5 Yasir Shah has bowled 139.5 overs in three innings so far in this Test series. Judged by his returns, the workload has not withered him. He has 14 wickets so far, and became history’s first spinner to take five-wickets in an innings in five consecutive Tests. Not bad for someone whose fitness was in question before the series.

The verdict Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take something extraordinary for Pakistan to keep their undefeated record in Test series in the UAE in tact from this position. At least Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have made a positive start to the salvage effort.

While you're here
Scorebox

Sharjah Wanderers 20-25 Dubai Tigers (After extra-time)

Wanderers

Tries Gormley, Penalty

Cons Flaherty

Pens Flaherty 2

Tigers

Tries O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly

Cons Caldwell 2

Pens Caldwell, Cross

Updated: October 30, 2024, 5:00 AM`