As an ambassador for rats, it\u0027s never easy to win over the public. There\u0027s that hairless tail after all.
On a recent day, her trainers hid small vessels of chamomile tea under the dirt in a box. As soon as she was released from her cage, Runa’s tiny nose was abuzz with twitching as she set out to work. Within seconds she had found all the vessels, and was racing over to suck on a syringe filled with a pellet-and-banana smoothie.We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Izzy Szott, a behavioural research scientist at the Tanzania-based organization APOPO, which is training the rats to work for governments, said she was not surprised to hear rats had been named enemy No. 1, but she wants people to know the full picture. Her hope is having ambassador rats at renowned zoos, like San Diego’s, will lead to more understanding and support for rat research.
Szott said rats often “get a bad rap,” but that it’s important to “consider our responsibility towards the wildlife around us and that we share the planet with.” At their facility in Morogoro, Tanzania, Szott and the other researchers are also working on training the rats to someday aid in the detection of contaminated soil or help rescuers in finding people trapped under the rubble after earthquakes and explosions. The rats, which can be dispatched into hard-to-reach areas, have been outfitted with tiny vests with a pendant they can pull to send an alert to their handlers when they find a person.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
U.S. charges 2 allegedly involved in Chinese police station in New York City - National | Globalnews.caProsecutors said the pair had admitted to the FBI that they deleted their communications with a Chinese government official after learning they were under investigation.
Read more »
Two men charged for allegedly helping establish secret Chinese police outpost in New York CityThe cases are part of a series of Justice Department prosecutions aimed at disrupting Chinese government efforts to target Chinese dissidents
Read more »
Tsilhqot’in chiefs attending United Nations forum on Indigenous issues in New York City - Terrace StandardTsilhqot’in chiefs attending United Nations forum on Indigenous issues in New York City
Read more »
Broadway Across Canada new season to include major New York hitsWith its 2023/2024 season of touring musicals, Broadway Across Canada will be celebrating 25 years of bringing the best and biggest of Broadway to Calgary.
Read more »
Quebec man gets 13 years for role in kidnapping of New York couple | Globalnews.caThe Crown was seeking a 17-year sentence for Gary Arnold, who was found guilty by a jury in February of five charges, including kidnapping, extortion and conspiracy to kidnap.
Read more »
Secret Chinese police station in New York leads to arrestsTwo men were arrested Monday on charges that they helped establish a secret police station in New York City on behalf of the Chinese government, and about three dozen officers with China's national police force were charged with using social media to harass dissidents inside the United States, authorities said Monday.
Read more »