New MD technology being used in Africa

[TrpnBils]

Okay, this is slightly off-topic but some of you will appreciate it.

According to CNN, people are using trained Gambian pouched rats to hunt for left-over landmines in Africa. They said they needed something better than their mine detectors because they pick up every metal signal: 26,000 junk hits for 74 landmines (hey, those stats sound really familiar, they must be using my Bounty Hunter ). Maybe this should be the next wave of treasure hunting technology used by the people of this forum....


If anybody cares, here's the actual article
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/01/15/rat.land.mines.reut/index.html

 

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[gsmeiers]

Here mousey mousey... Smell the beautiful bar of gold.... There you go.. NOW GO FIND SOME!!!!

 

[bakergeol]

Oh No- You have discovered the secret of the pros.
I have two Gambian pounched rats. One is for coins and the other is for rings. Honey(my coin rat) not only locates coins but digs them up too. I had to teach her just to locate and not to dig as she started to scratch some really valuable coins.When Honey locates a copper coin she raises her right rear leg. When she locates a nickel coin she raises her left rear leg. For clad coinage she points with her nose. When she locates silver her tail is raised to the horizontal position and? with gold her tail is of course goes vertical. (When she crouches down on both rear legs-she is just taking a dump)
There are some drawbacks with the rats. They eat a lot of hamburger and Swiss cheese. You also can not use two Gambian rats at the same site especially in mating season. When that happens both their tails go straight up and they are not interested in locating coins. Also their 300 ft leather leashes are expensive.

Well-got to go-time to feed the rats
George

 

[navychief1968]

All,

I think this is where my wife would draw the line. Thus far, she has really been understanding about my "hobby" but if start bringing vermin into the house, all bets would be off!


Chris Reynolds
Chief Petty Officer, USN

 

[TrpnBils]

Navychief,

I have a solution for you. Get the rats, but to appease your wife, you also need to get the largest constricting snake you can find. Then you can assure her that if the rat ever gets out in the house, you can just let the snake go to find it.

She can't draw the line if you have a backup plan as solid as that, can she?