カンボジアの地雷除去で大活躍、ネズミの「マガワ」が引退

【プノンペンＡＦＰ＝時事】カンボジアでその並外れた嗅覚を発揮し地雷・不発弾除去活動に貢献したアフリカオニネズミ「マガワ」が、５年間の現役生活を終え、好物のバナナとピーナツを楽しむ生活に入ることになった。マガワを訓練したベルギーの慈善団体「ＡＰＯＰＯ」が５日、ＡＦＰに明らかにした。（写真はカンボジアでの地雷除去活動に貢献したアフリカオニネズミのマガワ。英国の慈善団体ＰＤＳＡ提供）
　カンボジアでＡＰＯＰＯのプログラムマネジャーを務めるマイケル・ヘイマン氏は５日、これまでに地雷７１個と不発弾３８個を見つけてきたマガワは、「やや疲れてきた」とＡＦＰに語った。「引退させてあげるのが一番だ」
　カンボジアでは１９７５～１９９８年に大量の地雷が敷設され、数万人が犠牲となっている。ＡＰＯＰＯによると、マガワは５年間で２２万５０００平方メートルの土地の地雷除去に貢献した。
　今後マガワは好きなことをする時間が増えるという。バナナやピーナツを食べることだ。
　ＡＰＯＰＯによると、最近、訓練を受けた２０匹のネズミが新たにカンボジアに到着し、地雷探知業務の開始に向けて当局の認証を受けた。
　マガワは「とても類いまれなネズミ」だったとヘイマン氏は言う。「今後の作業で、彼がいてくれれば、と思うことがあるのは間違いない」【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】

〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/06/08-13:37）

A giant African pouched rat called Magawa who spent years sniffing out landmines in the Cambodian countryside has stopped working and will enjoy a well-earned retirement eating bananas and peanuts, his employers told AFP.
Magawa, originally from Tanzania, was trained by the Belgian charity APOPO which says the rodent helped clear mines from 225,000 square metres of land in his five-year career, the equivalent of 42 football pitches.
But after detecting 71 landmines and 38 items of unexploded ordnance he is getting a bit tired, Michael Heiman, the charity's programme manager in Cambodia, told AFP on Saturday.
The best thing to do is to retire him.
Millions of landmines were laid in Cambodia between 1975 and 1998, causing tens of thousands of casualties.
APOPO trained Magawa in his native Tanzania to detect the chemical compound within explosives by rewarding him with tasty treats -- his favourites being bananas and peanuts.
He alerts de-miners by scratching the earth.
Magawa can scurry across an area the size of a tennis court in just 30 minutes, something that would take four days using a conventional metal detector.
He is big enough to be attached to a leash as he goes about his business but light enough not to set off mines.
In his autumn years, Magawa will spend more time doing what he loves, says Heiman -- eating bananas and peanuts.
In September last year the rodent won the animal equivalent of Britain's highest civilian honour for bravery because of his uncanny knack for uncovering landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Magawa was the first rat to receive a PDSA medal in the 77 years of the awards, joining an illustrious band of brave canines and felines -- and even a pigeon.
The group says 20 newly trained rats that recently arrived in Cambodia have just received their accreditation from the authorities to start landmine detection work.
But it will be a tough challenge following in Magawa's footsteps.
Magawa is a very exceptional rat, Heiman said.
Obviously we are going to miss him in operations.