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How African Giant Pouched Rats Help Combat Wildlife Trafficking

African giant pouched rats, though perhaps unconventional in appearance, are proving invaluable in the fight against wildlife trafficking. These remarkable rodents, already known for detecting landmines and tuberculosis, are now being trained to sniff out illegal wildlife products such as elephant tusks, rhino horns, pangolin scales, and African blackwood, which are among the most commonly trafficked items out of Africa. This new research, led by APOPO and published in Frontiers in Conservation Science, highlights the unique role these “HeroRATs” could play in wildlife Conservation.

Dr. Izzy Szott, a behavioral research scientist spearheading the project, notes that rats can work as a “complementary tool” alongside dogs, who already help detect wildlife contraband. “Dogs are amazing,” she says, adding that dogs are indispensable for tasks like tracking in vast areas like Tanzania’s Serengeti. However, due to their small size and agility, rats offer advantages in cramped environments, such as shipping containers.

One key benefit of using rats is cost-effectiveness. Szott explains that rats are cheaper to train and maintain compared to dogs, a critical factor given the economic limitations in many regions affected by wildlife trafficking. Crawford Allan, an expert on wildlife crime at WWF, stresses the need for affordable detection solutions, saying, “We need to find some cheaper, more sustainable solutions for detection in Africa.” He points out that better detection can increase the risks for traffickers, ultimately raising black market prices and reducing demand.

Training the rats, according to Szott, takes about a year. The training program is Monday to Friday, with ample breaks for play, where rats enjoy running wheels and ropes. Their intelligence and curiosity make them quick learners; some catch on immediately, while others take longer but eventually excel. “Each rat has a different character,” Szott observes, noting how individual learning styles make each one unique.

The early success of this program has sparked interest from countries like Singapore and France. APOPO hopes to expand these efforts by deploying the trained rats in critical locations such as Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port and airport, where future trials will focus on refining their detection methods.

With an estimated $23 billion illegal wildlife trade worldwide, Allan describes the challenges of identifying smuggled goods. Traffickers use creative disguises, staining ivory to look like wood or coating it in chocolate to slip through X-ray inspections. Despite these efforts, APOPO’s “HeroRATs” offer a promising new approach. As Szott confidently remarks, “Whatever we’ve thrown at the rats, they’ve been doing it.”