Use mouse to detect mines

Previously, Colombian police used a sniffer dog, but the weight of the dog would normally trigger the explosives. Now, they decided to pick a mouse because it was lightweight, less than half a kilogram.

The mice were kept in the laboratory. During the training session, the white mouse was placed on a layer of grass, which contained an explosive device. Less than a minute later, the mouse found it.

A training group led by veterinary surgeon Luisa Fernanda Mendez Pardo, who specializes in dog training for explosives, has trained 15-18 sniper rats over the past four years.

Rats have been trained to detect various types of explosives including ammonium nitrate, fuel oil, gunpowder, and TNT.

The mouse mice training program can help Colombian authorities to screen mines in rural areas.

However, training the mouse will be more difficult than the dog. Colombian police are planning to use landmine mice later this year.