Rats could help fight illegal wildlife trade

November 4, 2024
from
The Wildlife Society

African giant rats can detect illegally traded wildlife species

Researchers trained African giant rats to detect illegally traded wildlife and plant species, including elephant ivory, pangolins, rhinoceros horns and African blackwood. The study showed that the rats, previously trained to detect explosives and the tuberculosis pathogen, were able to remember the smells of the illegal items for several months. “Our study shows that we can train African giant rats to detect illegally trafficked wildlife, even if it has been hidden among other substances,” said Dr. Isabelle Szott, researcher at the Okeanos Foundation and first co-author of the study published in Frontiers in Conservation Science. Because the study was conducted in a controlled environment, researchers say the next step is to develop ways for rats to work in ports where smuggled wildlife is often traded.

Read more at Frontiers in Conservation Science