APOPO News

Illegal wildlife trafficking remains one of the most critical threats to global biodiversity, putting already endangered species at risk of extinction. A recent proof-of-concept study led by researchers at APOPO has confirmed that our specially trained African giant pouched rats, known as HeroRATs can detect trafficked wildlife products such as pangolin scales, offering a new […]

In October 2024, APOPO’s Ukraine team achieved a significant milestone by earning certification from the National Mine Action Center (NMAC) Chernihiv to conduct Technical Survey and Mine Detection Dog (TSD/MDD) operations. This official certification is the culmination of ten months of dedicated training and preparation, allowing APOPO to begin conducting Technical Surveys across contaminated areas

In a significant achievement for APOPO and African giant pouched rat research, veterinarian Dr. Mungo Kisinza was awarded a PhD from the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania, at its 44th graduation ceremony. Held at the Edward Moringe campus and presided over by Chancellor Joseph Sinde Warioba, the event celebrated the accomplishments of

Following a field trial between September 2023 and March 2024, APOPO Zimbabwe revised its mine action data collection methods to mitigate mine clearance risks by incorporating a Clearance Data Model (CDM) into daily reporting. The aim was to explore how this updated method could improve the quality of collected data whilst also saving time for

On September 13, all of APOPO’s demining teams in Azerbaijan successfully passed the ANAMA (Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action) annual accreditation. This includes APOPO’s Technical Survey Dogs (TSD), Mine Detection Rats (MDR), and, for the first time, MDR handlers who were accredited as manual deminers. APOPO’s MDR handlers are the first foreign demining team

On September 12, 2024, APOPO had the privilege of chairing and co-presenting a side session at the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) meeting, held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. This session provided a platform for sharing APOPO and MAG’s innovative approaches in detecting cluster munitions in Cambodia , particularly focusing on the

APOPO recently completed the construction of a rice dryer in Kantout, Cambodia, as part of its ongoing efforts to support local farmers. The rice dryer, funded through the Minefields to Rice Fields project, will allow farmers to dry and store their harvested rice more efficiently, helping them sell it at better prices and improve their

On September 17th, APOPO proudly commemorated the 10-year anniversary of our humanitarian demining program in Cambodia. Over the past decade, our dedicated team, including our HeroRATs and Mine Detection Dogs, has worked tirelessly to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), restoring safety and opportunities to communities across the country. None of this progress would have

APOPO was honored to take part in the Joint Strategic Framework (JSF) learning event for Belgium-supported Non-Governmental Actors (BNGAs) in Arusha, Tanzania, held from September 12-13, 2024. The event brought together key actors in development and environmental sustainability, with APOPO represented by Dr. Tefera Agizew, Head of Tuberculosis (TB) Programs, and Aron Katosho, HeroTREEs Officer.