STORY: Cambodia on Friday (April 3) unveiled the world’s first statue dedicated to Magawa, a landmine-sniffing rat, as the country marked International Day for Mine Awareness.

Magawa, a southern giant pouched rat born in Tanzania and trained by Belgian non-profit organisation APOPO, detected more than 100 landmines and items of unexploded ordnance during his career, helping clear more than 141,000 square metres of land. He was awarded the PDSA Gold Medal for animal bravery and died in 2022, aged eight, following retirement.

Carved from local stone by Cambodian artisans, the statue in Siem Reap depicts Magawa wearing his medal and the harness he used during demining operations.

Cambodia remains one of the world’s most heavily landmine-contaminated countries, with millions of mines left from decades of conflict continuing to kill and injure people and limit economic development.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: SIEM REAP PROVINCE, CAMBODIA (APRIL 3, 2026) (APOPO/IAN WIGGINS - Access All)

1. MAN REMOVING RED CLOTH FROM STONE STATUE HONOURING DEMINING RAT ‘MAGAWA’ DURING UNVEILING CEREMONY

2. STATUE

3 MINE AUTHORITY CHAIRMAN LY THUCH AND OFFICERS FROM INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION APOPO, WHICH TRAINS RATS TO DETECT LANDMINES, LOOKING AT STATUE

4. OFFICIALS STANDING ALONGSIDE RAT STATUE FOR PHOTOGRAPHS

5. LY THUCH HOLDING REAL DEMINING RAT IN FRONT OF STATUE

6. LY THUCH, APOPO OFFICERS AND DEMINING STAFF POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH IN FRONT OF STATUE

SIEM REAP PROVINCE, CAMBODIA (FILE - FEBRUARY 2026) (APOPO/IAN WIGGINS - Access All)

7. VARIOUS OF SCULPTORS MAKING RAT STATUE

8. ARTIST DRILLING STONE WHILE MAKING STATUE

9. VARIOUS OF ARTIST SCULPTING

10. VARIOUS OF ARTIST BRUSHING RAT STATUE

SIEM REAP PROVINCE, CAMBODIA (FILE - JUNE 10, 2021) (REUTERS - Access All)

11. MAGAWA RAT HANDLER HOLDING MAGAWA AT APOPO CENTRE

12. MAGAWA HANDLER

13. HANDLER WITH MAGAWA

14. APOPO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION SIGN

15. EXTERIOR OF APOPO CENTRE

PREAH VIHEAR PROVINCE, CAMBODIA (FILE - JUNE 11, 2021) (REUTERS - Access All)

16. RATS WORKING IN MINEFIELD

17. DEMINING RAT SNIFFING FOR MINES

18. HANDLER

19. DEMINING RAT SNIFFING FOR MINES

20. HANDLERS WITH RAT IN MINEFIELD

21. HANDLER UNTYING STRING TO RELEASE DEMINING RAT AFTER FINISHING MINE DETECTION

22. DEMINING RAT RUNNING BEHIND HANDLER

23. VARIOUS OF MINES FOUND AFTER RAT DETECTION

24. DEMINERS WORKING IN MINEFIELD