Why Armies Are Recruiting Rats, And What India Is Doing With Bees | Explained

Last Updated:May 30, 2025, 20:48 IST

Along the porous and often volatile India-Bangladesh border, the Border Security Force (BSF) has deployed a most unconventional weapon, i.e. bees

HeroRATs detect landmines in Cambodia, Ukraine, Israel, and Europe.

In a quiet compound in Cambodia, rats scurry across a field – not in search of food, but of danger. These are no ordinary rodents. Known as African Giant Pouched Rats or more affectionately as “HeroRATs", they are trained to detect hidden landmines and explosives with stunning precision. Cambodia’s military has embraced their services, and so have armies in Ukraine, Israel, and several European nations.

These oversized rodents, native to sub-Saharan Africa, boast a uniquely powerful sense of smell that allows them to detect even minute traces of explosives like TNT. Measuring up to 45 centimetres long, with tails extending nearly half a metre, the African Giant Pouched Rat might resemble a small cat more than a typical house rat. But unlike most animals, they are light enough to walk over landmines without setting them off, making them invaluable in mine-infested countries such as Mozambique, Angola, and Cambodia.

It’s not just their sensitive noses that make them perfect for the job. A rat can clear an area the size of a tennis court in just 30 minutes, a task that would take human deminers days, often at great personal risk. They are relatively cheap to maintain and can be trained in less than a year. With a lifespan of 6 to 8 years, these rodents can serve for most of their lives, proving both cost-effective and dependable.

The Belgian nonprofit APOPO pioneered the training of these rats, branding them “HeroRATs" and sending them into post-conflict zones. Their ability to detect plastic mines, which metal detectors often miss, further increases their value. And their talents don’t end with explosives; in medical settings, these rats have even been trained to sniff out tuberculosis in human sputum samples.

While Cambodia and Ukraine deploy rats in minefields, Israel’s security forces are giving them an urban twist. Specially trained rodents are used at airports to sniff out explosives in luggage – a subtler, more mobile alternative to bomb-sniffing dogs. Compact, quick, and almost undetectable in their work, these rats assist in pre-empting potential terror threats without drawing attention.

Russia, too, has joined the ranks of rat trainers, employing them in mine detection. Iran, on the other hand, once claimed to have developed “suicide rats" trained to infiltrate enemy bases and detonate explosives, though this sensational claim remains unverified and widely disputed.

While rats rule the landmines, India has turned to the hives. Along the porous and often volatile India-Bangladesh border, the Border Security Force (BSF) has deployed a most unconventional weapon, i.e. bees.

In West Bengal’s Nadia district, BSF’s 32nd Battalion has begun hanging beekeeping boxes along barbed-wire fences. These apiaries are not just for honey. The swarms of bees inside act as a natural deterrent to smugglers and infiltrators. Anyone attempting to breach the fences risks an immediate and painful attack. The presence of bees has reportedly already started discouraging illegal crossings.

Flowering plants have been cultivated nearby to support the hives, while BSF personnel receive training in basic beekeeping – a fusion of agriculture and national defence that might once have sounded absurd but is proving remarkably effective.

Not to be left behind, marine forces around the world are turning to the ocean’s most intelligent creatures. The US Navy operates the Marine Mammal Program, which trains dolphins and California sea lions to detect underwater mines and protect naval assets. Dolphins, with their natural sonar, can locate submerged explosives more accurately than most machines. Sea lions, meanwhile, are trained to retrieve objects and even tag divers.

Russia has mirrored these efforts, deploying dolphins for underwater reconnaissance and possibly even espionage. Marine mammals offer the advantage of speed, intelligence, and stealth, making them ideal partners in naval operations.

The global embrace of animal operatives signals a shift in how militaries perceive intelligence, adaptability, and cost-efficiency. Whether sniffing out bombs, detecting diseases, or guarding borders, animals are stepping into roles once reserved for humans and machines.

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