Rodents enlisted in fight to sniff out trafficked pangolins
The pangolin, a scaly anteater coveted by poachers, might have a new champion: rats that will be trained to sniff out trafficked pangolin parts in shipments heading from Africa to Asia.
A pilot project to turn African giant pouched rats into conservationist sleuths is in its infancy - the 10 to 15 rodents being reared in Tanzania to detect pungent pangolin remains as well as smuggled hardwood timber are just a few weeks old and most are still with their mothers.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service, however, is on board with the rodent trial, which organizers hope can eventually be used to find hidden elephant ivory and rhino horn. The US citizen agency has provided $100,000 to support what it says could be "an innovative tool in combating illegal wildlife trade".
