Overview
- Cambodian officials and Apopo revealed a seven-foot sandstone statue of Magawa in Siem Reap on the eve of International Day for Mine Awareness.
- Magawa was trained by the nonprofit Apopo to sniff out explosive chemicals and alert handlers, a method that works because the rats are too light to trigger mines.
- In 2020, Magawa received the PDSA Gold Medal for animal bravery after a five-year career that made him a standout in Cambodia’s clearance work.
- Coverage cites differing totals for his impact, with reports ranging from more than 1.5 million square feet searched and over 100 mines found to other tallies that list smaller or different figures.
- Apopo continues operations with successor rats such as Ronin, credited in 2025 with a record 109 land mines detected, as Cambodia works toward a 2030 mine-free goal that would make daily travel, farming, and play far safer.