Kansas, 21 June, 2025: APOPO’s official HeroRAT exhibit is now open and operating at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kansas. Seven HeroRATs — Aksa, Aziz Ki, Bobby Charleton, Clarity, Hamida, Pacome, and Picasso — have settled into their new environment, where they are beginning a new chapter as ambassadors for APOPO’s scent detection work.
The HeroRATs’ exercise enclosure is a publicly visible feature of the zoo, complete with educational signage about their unique role in APOPO’s global programs. Behind the scenes, each rat enjoys a two-story habitat filled with bedding, enrichment, and items to chew, designed to support their health and wellbeing.
Promoting Wildlife Detection and Combating Trafficking
At the heart of this exhibit is a mission that extends far beyond Kansas: raising awareness about APOPO’s Wildlife Detection project. Through daily public training sessions, keeper talks, and meet-and-greet encounters, Tanganyika visitors are learning how HeroRATs contribute to the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking — a trade that threatens countless species around the world.
APOPO’s Wildlife Detection project is an innovative research initiative that trains HeroRATs to detect smuggled wildlife products such as pangolin scales, illegal hardwoods, and ivory. While the project is still in its development phase, APOPO aims to deploy these rats very soon in an initial stage at Tanzania’s ports and airports, where they will assist in identifying illegal wildlife products hidden in shipping containers or luggage.
The HeroRATs’ extraordinary sense of smell gives them the potential to become a valuable tool for law enforcement and conservation agencies, helping to protect endangered species and combat the illegal wildlife trade.
At Tanganyika Wildlife Park, the HeroRATs’ story is woven into giraffe and rhino keeper talks, where guests learn about the global impacts of wildlife trafficking on iconic species and ecosystems. This integrated approach helps visitors see how APOPO’s work connects directly to the animals they encounter at the park.
Engaging Visitors and Building a Pilot Program
The zookeepers at Tanganyika have been trained by APOPO to handle and care for the HeroRATs, and to support their ongoing scent detection training. While the rats are not yet ready to demonstrate their detection work in public, they are participating in 1–2 training sessions per day where guests can observe their progress and ask questions.
Interest from the public has been high, with many guests requesting paid, private meet-and-greet experiences with the HeroRATs. These sessions began after the rats completed quarantine and they can now safely interact with visitors. Guests can also support the program through donations and by purchasing HeroRAT-themed merchandise, with all proceeds helping to fund APOPO’s life-saving work.
This exhibit serves as a pilot project, giving APOPO the opportunity to refine protocols for future public-facing programs, collect valuable data, and test new ways to engage supporters. A follow-up visit is planned to capture promotional photos and videos that will be used for social media, educational materials, and outreach campaigns.
The team at Tanganyika Wildlife Park has shown huge enthusiasm for the HeroRATs, and APOPO is excited to see this partnership grow as the exhibit continues to inspire, educate, and make a difference.
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