Rat detect land mines after special sniffing training

There's a saying about being able to smell a rat - but no longer. Now the much maligned rodent is turning the tables and is ratting out land mines.



Giant African pouched rats are being trained to identify the scent of explosives in landmines

They have an acute sense of smell and are small enough not to detonate the mines. Every time they detect TNT, they make a clicking sound and receive a bit of banana as a reward.

They are being trained by Belgian charity Apopo in Tanzania.

‘You have to be patient. Sometimes I get frustrated but then again I tell myself these are animals,’ said trainer Abdullah Mchomvu.

A team of two rats can clear a 200sq m (2,150sq ft) minefield in two hours rather than the day it takes humans.

Other rats are being trained to sniff out TB in laboratory sputum samples.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/846552-rats-detect-land-mines-after-special-sniffing-training#ixzz14nBrkOlq

Rat detect land mines after special sniffing training

There's a saying about being able to smell a rat - but no longer. Now the much maligned rodent is turning the tables and is ratting out land mines.



Giant African pouched rats are being trained to identify the scent of explosives in landmines

They have an acute sense of smell and are small enough not to detonate the mines. Every time they detect TNT, they make a clicking sound and receive a bit of banana as a reward.

They are being trained by Belgian charity Apopo in Tanzania.

‘You have to be patient. Sometimes I get frustrated but then again I tell myself these are animals,’ said trainer Abdullah Mchomvu.

A team of two rats can clear a 200sq m (2,150sq ft) minefield in two hours rather than the day it takes humans.

Other rats are being trained to sniff out TB in laboratory sputum samples.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/846552-rats-detect-land-mines-after-special-sniffing-training#ixzz14nBrkOlq

Peaceful co-existence

RIGHT: Host Dave Salmoni will take viewers on a daring mission to learn if man and beast can co-exist in Into the Lion’s Den. The two-hour special premieres on Sat, March 20 at 9pm on TrueVisions D21.

Published: 12/03/2010 at 12:00 AM

Zoologist and big cat trainer Dave Salmoni is on a mission to prove that humans can live in harmony with wild lions.

This month, Animal Planet goes into the lion's den with Dave as he spends three months deep within the no-go zone of a pride of wild lions in South Africa - armed with only a stick and a miniature camera.

Will his daring mission help remove the barrier between man and beast, or will he fall prey to these magnificent predators? The two-hour special Into the Lion's Den premieres Sat, March 20 at 9pm and repeats the following day at 3am and 4pm, and Sat, March 27 at 1pm on Animal Planet.

Dave believes that with people encroaching on the natural habitats of wild animals, conflicts are inevitable and that there needs to be a change in how humans interact with other species.

To better understand how we can harmoniously co-exist, Dave intends to carry out a radical and dangerous experiment - living with lions in the wild.

As a big cat trainer, Dave knows that every sound and movement a cat makes tells him how it is going to behave.

So, to prepare for his mission, Dave undergoes rigorous training with big cats such as jaguars, tigers, and lions in captivity, immersing himself in their behavioural patterns and honing his communication skills with these animals.

With this knowledge and zoological expertise, Dave heads to the Thornybush Private Game Reserve in South Africa to carry out his experiment.

Every precaution is taken for his safety, with a team of paramedics and rangers watching him from afar prepared for every possible emergency situation.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/entertainment/movie/34351/peaceful-co-existence

Tigers chase zoo keepers into pool

A tiger plays in the pool in its enclosure at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde, Arizona. Photo: Kathleen Reeder / Solent News & Photo Agency

On first glance, it appears as if a group of unsuspecting swimmers are about to become a tiger's lunch.

Published: 7:30AM GMT 05 Mar 2010

But despite appearances, the picture actually shows the animal playing with zoo keepers in a pool.

Used to human contact, the tigers play a harmless game of chase with their trainers around the pool edge before diving into the water.

Although they look ferocious, the animals don't protract their claws, so no harm comes to their trainers as they tussle in the water.

The game involving six Bengal and Siberian tigers has become a popular attraction at the Africa Wildlife Park, in Camp Verde, Arizona, in the US.

Kathleen Reeder, 52, a wildlife photographer who captured the images, said: "The show starts with about three to five keepers coming into the pool area with the tigers.

"The tigers walk and run around the pool area, showing love and affection for their keepers by rubbing up against them just like a house cat rubs against their owner.

"The keeper then runs around the pool area getting the tigers' attention.

"It's like playing with your house cat with a toy. You wave the toy in front of the cat to get the cat to chase it.

"The keepers want the tigers to chase them, when they have the tiger's attention they will run, dive or jump into the pool.

"Most of the time the tigers will jump in right after them.

"These tigers love their keepers so they don't protract their claws when chasing or when jumping into the water.

"There will always be two keepers in the water to make sure that things don't get out of hand.

"They know what to do to appropriately handle the tigers in the water, no one gets hurt."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7366826/Tigers-chase-zoo-keepers-into-pool.html