I've been busy trying to catch up with all the work I missed while on vacation, but I do have a couple of good links that Eanna and Lesley were kind enough to pass along.
HELLO SAILOR is all about our rats' cousins, the Rattus rattus. Look at the gallery...these guys are cuties.
I'd heard that rats were trained to sniff out landmines, but to be honest, I never looked hard for more infomation because I assumed that the rats, well, didn't last long when they found the mines. Now that I've read the APOPO page, I'm glad to see that I was wrong. The rats are living healthy lives doing this very important work.
And I'm happy to say that through HeroRat.org, we have added a new Rat in a Box, albeit remotely. Hopefully we'll be updating with news of our adopted rat soon.
Posted by Abita at August 10, 2006 07:05 PMLove the Hellow Sailor.. !!! very very funny
scritches to all
colleen
I've seen the Hello Sailor link before. Too cute, especially since my husband is also a sailor, navy dude, well submarines so undersailor. LOL
Aren't those rats that sniff out land mines amazing? I didn't know you could adopt one. I may have to do that too in the name of the little Poiland Rodentias.
Posted by: Poi Mom Jane at August 10, 2006 10:54 PMAbita, I know you and I have discussed those mine-sniffing rats before, and I am sooooo glad you discovered they don't have to die to do it because I was going to send a letter of complaint today to the webmaster, but I couldn't get the frames to work for me--fortunately! lol My good sense is always a step behind my outrage!
Posted by: Eanna at August 11, 2006 01:54 AMGood links! I know of an electrical company that uses trained rats to run wiring. They tap on the wall where they want the rattie to go. Rats are so cool! Hope Neiko and Kado are doing ok.
Posted by: Lynn at August 11, 2006 02:23 PMThe rats are too light to set off the mines - they spend months training them so they want to really ensure their safety