Cambodia unveiled the world's first statue dedicated to a landmine-detecting rat, Magawa, in Siem Reap. The bronze monument commemorates the African giant pouched rat who, trained by Belgian charity Apopo, cleared over 100 landmines and explosives across Cambodia between 2016 and 2022. Magawa's work, which spanned 141,000 square metres of contaminated land, earned him the PDSA Gold Medal – the animal equivalent of the George Cross. The statue, carved from local stone, was unveiled on April 4th, coinciding with International Day for Mine Awareness.

Magawa's legacy highlights the ongoing challenge of unexploded ordnance in Cambodia, where the UN estimates over a million people live and work on contaminated land. Apopo's HeroRATS, including Ronin who recently surpassed Magawa's record, offer a safer alternative to humans for mine detection due to their size preventing mine detonation. The charity has trained these rodents since the 1990s, also using them to detect tuberculosis and combat wildlife trafficking.

Cambodia aims to achieve mine-free status by 2030, a goal underscored by the new monument. Apopo's Cambodia Programme Manager, Michael Raine, stated the statue serves as a reminder that "there's still a job to be done here". The monument stands as a tribute to Magawa's life-saving devotion and the continued need for innovative solutions to Cambodia's mine clearance crisis.