FORTEAN FOLLOW-UPS

Hero rat retires, killer historian sentenced, and the US grapples with Havana Syndrome

STRANGE DAYS FORTEAN FOLLOW-UPS Hero rat retires, killer historian sentenced, and the US grapples with Havana Syndrome HERO RAT [FT400:10] Magawa, the African giant pouched rat who last September was awarded the PDSA Gold Medal – sometimes described as the George Cross for animals – for his “life-saving devotion to duty”, has retired at the age of seven. Malen, his handler, said the rat was “slowing down” with age and she wants to “respect his needs”. Magawa was part of an initiative by the Belgian charity Apopo to train the animals, known as HeroRATS, to detect landmines. In his five-year career Magawa sniffed out 71 landmines and many other unexploded munitions in Cambodia. Malen said: “Magawa’s performance has been unbeaten, and I have been proud to work side by side…

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Fortean Times (Digital) - 1 Issue, 411

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