Apopo

APOPO is a global non-profit that trains scent detection animals to save lives, restore land, and protect health and the environment. Founded over 25 years ago in Belgium, APOPO emerged in response to the devastation caused by landmines, which continue to kill, injure, and hinder development in post-conflict regions. To address this, APOPO pioneered an innovative, low-cost mine clearance method using trained African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) — now known worldwide as HeroRATs. Today, APOPO is a global leader in scent detection research and humanitarian applications. Our core programs focus on Mine Action and tuberculosis (TB) detection, while advanced research explores new applications in search and rescue and wildlife detection, expanding the potential of scent detection to support disaster response and biodiversity conservation. APOPO’s main training and research center is based at the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania. We currently have Mine Action programs in Angola, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, and Ukraine, and TB detection programs in Tanzania and Ethiopia, where trained rats screen human sputum samples to rapidly identify potential TB infections, working in combination with confirmatory laboratory diagnostics to help stop the spread of the disease. In Ukraine and Cambodia, APOPO also trains and deploys HeroDOGs — highly trained Technical Survey Dogs that detect explosives and define the perimeters of contaminated areas, accelerating land release and supporting national demining efforts. APOPO is supported by a global network of partners, donors, and supporters, and maintains foundations in Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom.