Mine-Detecting Hero Sets New Record

(MENAFN) At the first light of day, Ronin’s handler carefully places him at the border of a suspected
minefield.

A lightweight harness, attached to a slender cord, fits tightly around the rat’s small frame, guiding him systematically across the ground.

With an eager twitch of his whiskers and the promise of a piece of avocado – his favorite treat – Ronin cautiously moves forward.

The environment remains still, disturbed only by the faint sound of Ronin’s movements through the dry grass and brush. He inhales deeply, finely attuned to the faintest scent of TNT, the chemical indicator of hidden land mines.

In contrast to human deminers encumbered by bulky metal detectors – which are often tricked by harmless debris – Ronin’s extraordinary sense of smell allows him to disregard scrap metal and concentrate entirely on explosives.

He can scan an area the size of a tennis court in only 30
minutes – a task that would take a human as long as four days.

Without warning, Ronin halts, his body going rigid. He scratches the ground fiercely – a distinct
sign that a mine lies beneath. His handler marks the location and rewards Ronin with the
promised avocado treat, marking the end of another successful day of high-risk work.

Ronin's achievements have earned him international acclaim: a Guinness World Record for the
most land mines discovered by a rat – 109 so far, all in Cambodia's Preah Vihear district.

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