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Posted: 2021-06-05T12:16:29Z | Updated: 2021-06-05T12:16:29Z

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) After five years of sniffing out land mines and unexploded ordnance in Cambodia, Magawa is retiring.

The African giant pouched rat has been the most successful rodent trained and overseen by a Belgian nonprofit, APOPO, to find land mines and alert its human handlers so the explosives can be safely removed.

Magawa has cleared more than 141,000 square meters (1.5 million square feet) of land, the equivalent of some 20 soccer fields, sniffing out 71 land mines and 38 items of unexploded ordnance, according to APOPO.

And for the first time, it won a British charitys top civilian award for animal bravery last year, an honor so far exclusively reserved for dogs.

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Watch his incredible story.\n\nPDSA runs the world's most distinguished and respected Animal Awards Programme.\n\nThrough these awards we recognise acts of extraordinary animal bravery or exceptional devotion to duty by awarding three globally-recognised medals and a commendation for devotion, learn more here: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme\n\n--\n\nThe Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) is the UKs leading veterinary charity.\n\nOperating through a UK-wide network of 48 Pet Hospitals, PDSA provides low cost and free veterinary care to the sick and injured pets of people in need and promotes responsible pet ownership.\n\nBut none of this would be possible without your support and donations. 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