Training HeroRATs for Search & Rescue

APOPO began training HeroRATs for search and rescue last August. The rats have a great sense of smell, and their size is useful because they can penetrate into areas with dense rubble and debris to search for survivors. The basic behavioral sequence is: search for victim, pull ball to communicate victim has been found, then return to trainer. Later training will involve searching for humans among debris to more closely mimic real search and rescue. APOPO is developing a rat-sized smart backpack in collaboration with the Technical University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands, for the rats to wear while on the rescue missions.