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Training pouched rats to find people
Kate B La Londe1, Amanda Mahoney, Timothy L Edwards
1Western Michigan University.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|December 3, 2014
Summary
Giant African pouched rats, trained to detect humans, show promise for search and rescue operations in collapsed structures. These animals successfully located human targets, indicating their potential for locating survivors.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Behavior
- Disaster Response Technology
Background:
- Locating survivors in collapsed structures is challenging.
- Traditional search methods are often slow and limited.
- Giant African pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus) possess keen olfactory senses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of Giant African pouched rats equipped with video cameras for detecting humans in simulated collapsed structures.
- To assess the rats' ability to differentiate human targets from inanimate objects.
Main Methods:
- Five Giant African pouched rats were trained to locate human targets in a simulated disaster environment.
- Rats were trained to return to a release point upon hearing a signal.
- Performance was measured by the rats' success rate in locating human targets versus inanimate objects.
Main Results:
- Rats located human targets significantly more often than untrained inanimate targets (83% vs. 37% and 11%).
- Rats spent more time within 1 meter of human targets compared to other targets.
- Successful detection rates for humans, bags with clothes, and empty bags were 83%, 37%, and 11%, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Giant African pouched rats demonstrate a notable ability to detect human presence in debris.
- The use of pouched rats for locating survivors in collapsed structures warrants further investigation.
- This method offers a potential advancement in search and rescue capabilities.
