m Task 19: convert/update IUCN references to {{cite iucn}} using data from IUCN Red List API; IUCN status confirmed; IUCN status ref updated; (2/00:03.60);
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→Ability to detect land mines and tuberculosis by scent: Added content.
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A [[Tanzanian]] social enterprise founded by two Belgians, [[APOPO]], trains Gambian pouched rats to detect [[land mine]]s and [[tuberculosis]] with their highly developed sense of smell. The trained pouched rats are called [[HeroRATS]]. The rats are far cheaper to train than mine-detecting dogs; a rat requires $7,300 for nine months of training, whereas a dog costs about $25,000 for training.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Tuberculosis detection by giant African pouched rats |year=2011 |publisher=U.S. National Institutes of Health |pmc=3089413 |last1=Poling |first1=A. |last2=Weetjens |first2=B. |last3=Cox |first3=C. |last4=Beyene |first4=N. |last5=Durgin |first5=A. |last6=Mahoney |first6=A. |journal=The Behavior Analyst |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=47–54 |doi=10.1007/BF03392234 |pmid=22532730 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Giant rats trained to sniff out tuberculosis in Africa |website=National Geographic |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/giant-rats-trained-sniff-out-tuberculosis-africa/ }}</ref>
In 2020, a Hero Rat named Magawa (2014-2022) received a PDSA Gold Medal, the animal equivalent of the George Cross, becoming the first rat to receive the award since the charity began honouring animals 77 years ago.
<ref>{{cite news |title=Meet the gold medal-winning rodent |lang=en-GB |website=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-54294192 |access-date=2021-01-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ng |first=Kate |date=25 September 2020 |title=Cambodia landmine detection rat awarded miniature gold medal for 'lifesaving bravery' |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/landmine-detection-rat-magma-cambodia-award-charity-b575565.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126014426/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/landmine-detection-rat-magma-cambodia-award-charity-b575565.html |archive-date=November 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='Hero rat' Magawa retires from Cambodian bomb sniffing career |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/5/hero-rat-magawa-retires-from-cambodian-bomb-sniffing-career |agency=Al Jazeera |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=June 5, 2021}}</ref>
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