A Turkish municipality has unveiled a scientific project that aims to use specially trained rats in search and rescue operations, capitalizing on the animals’ keen sense of smell and ability to navigate confined spaces.
The "Hero Rats Scientific Research Project” was introduced by the Muratpaşa Municipality in the southern city of Antalya. The project is being carried out in cooperation with Belgium-based nonprofit APOPO, the GEA Search and Rescue Association, and Ankara University.
At a briefing held at the municipality, officials said the project focuses on deploying rats in disaster zones, where their small size and agility allow them to access narrow spaces that are difficult for humans and dogs to reach.
Muratpaşa Mayor Ümit Uysal said innovative initiatives were essential for a country frequently affected by natural disasters.
"We hope disasters never happen and that these efforts are never needed,” Uysal said. "But Türkiye’s disaster reality makes such preparations unavoidable. Another important aspect of this project is that it instills a spirit of innovation and broadens people’s horizons.”
Assoc. Prof. Engin Yenice, vice dean of Ankara University’s Faculty of Agriculture, said the project has the potential to advance both search and rescue operations and animal training research.
"The data we obtain will open new doors and help set standards,” Yenice said, adding that the university contributed to bringing the rats from Tanzania and would continue supporting the project.
Program leader Dr. Danielle Giongrosso said the rats would play a significant role in rescue efforts because of their small, agile bodies, which allow them to move through rubble efficiently.
She said the rats are being trained to locate people using their highly sensitive sense of smell and to communicate their findings through specialized equipment fitted onto their bodies.
"After receiving a command, they can return to the starting point,” Giongrosso said. "They will also help us analyze the interior of collapsed structures.”
The equipment worn by the rats includes a camera and a two-way communication system, allowing them to transmit video footage while moving beneath debris. The technology could help rescue teams better understand conditions inside collapsed buildings and potentially enable communication with people trapped underneath.
During the presentation, six African giant pouched rats named Jo, Caruso, Wagner, Billy, Kiriya and Daniel were introduced to the public.