# @thewayfaress on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DCtv8hDSTIk
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/31338521-thewayfaress-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/9eccfb3785.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-11-23T13:09:46.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** The Wayfaress (@thewayfaress) — https://gondola.cc/thewayfaress

## Caption

Meet the HeroRATS of Cambodia! 🦸🏻🐀 These tiny warriors are tasked with a dangerous, but important mission: to help clear Cambodia of the millions of undetonated explosives still scattered across the country. 

Cambodia is one of the most mine-affected countries in the world — the result of decades of war and conflict (including a civil war under the Khmer Rouge regime, and the Vietnam War during which the United States dropped over 26 million explosives on Cambodian soil 💔).

There are over 1000 square kilometers of land that still haven’t been cleared of explosives… which causes dozens of casualties every year & has huge economic consequences, especially for people in rural areas.

…HeroRATS to the rescue!

Did you know rats have an *impeccable* sense of smell? They can sniff out 1 TRILLIONTH of a gram of TNT (found in explosives) from a meter away…. 😱 And because their bodies are so lightweight, they don’t risk detonating the explosive (as would a human or a dog). 

They’ve found over 150,000 explosives worldwide since 2016. 👏🏼

And you’ll be happy to know that no rat has ever been hurt as a result of its detective work. 🤗

If you’re in Siem Reap, be sure to visit the APOPO Visitor Center to learn more abut this incredible program & meet these tiny but mighty heroes!

BTW: The APOPO Foundation is also training rats to detect tuberculosis & even to find victims trapped in disaster zones… how impressive is that??

@herorats @apopo.center 

#siemreap #cambodia #herorats #adventuretravel #travel #sustainabletravel #travelawesome #traveldiaries

## Stats

- **Views:** 17,297
- **Likes:** 481
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 36

## Credits

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The Wayfaress | @thewayfaress | https://gondola.cc/thewayfaress | Influencer |

## Tags

traveldiaries, adventuretravel, travel, cambodia, sustainabletravel, siemreap, travelawesome, herorats

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