You might be forgiven for thinking that the first day of April has come early but, yes, rats are being used to locate unexploded mines in an attempt to ease the issue of discarded military ordnance scattered across the globe. And they are pretty good at their job too.
The Giant Pouched Rats used in this project are only a distant relative of the common rat we hold in such great esteem. It is an intelligent species and easy to train – with many new recruits straightforward to breed. The female of the species can produce up to ten litters a year. Although this is a scary fact, only one to five arrive with each litter, despite the mother having eight nipples. In many African countries they are kept as pets but also are predominantly used as a food source. Perhaps the mine field is a better option than the casserole dish after all.
http://socyberty.com/issues/unexploded-landmines-call-for-the-herorats/
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by taliesyn30.