Trained rats for Search and Rescue in Turkey
Earthquakes pose a significant threat to people due to their unpredictability and the devastation they cause. In areas with insufficient resources and poor infrastructure, the consequences can be extremely severe. Turkey is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes as it is located between three tectonic plates and has deficiencies in its infrastructure and technology for searching for survivors. Rats are highly effective in searching for landmines and detecting tuberculosis – and have proven to be very effective in finding survivors after earthquakes.
APOPO vzw aims to establish its organization in Turkey through this project to develop new technology and train rats to tackle a new societal challenge for them – contributing to increased survival rates during earthquakes.
The project is supported with 2 940 000 SEK.
What is happening in the project?
The project consists of four parts.
- – In the first part of the project, APOPO’s rats will be moved from Tanzania to Turkey. In Turkey, a new division for APOPO will be established – with rats, trainers, and a training environment.
- – In the second part of the project, the technology for the backpack that the rats will wear will be developed. The backpack includes live-streamed video, audio recording, and GPS localization. The development of the backpack’s technology is crucial for the new innovative method of finding survivors after earthquakes.
- – In the third part of the project, the rats will receive advanced training in complex scenarios that resemble real-life situations after an earthquake.
- – Finally, a short documentary will be filmed, following a rat’s life from birth in Tanzania to training for its mission to save people after earthquakes in Turkey.
Why did the project receive support?
Climate change increases the threat of more climate disasters, which will affect both people and the environment. Innovation and new solutions are important to improve the chances of finding survivors after earthquakes and saving more lives.
For more information: https://apopo.org/
