Not all heroes look the way we expect. Like our honorary African giant pouched rat, Magawa, who was trained to detect landmines in Cambodia. Over his career, he became the most successful mine-detection rat in his program, and the first rat ever awarded a gold medal for bravery. Because of his work, land that once held danger became safe again for people to walk, grow, and live on. Magawa retired in 2021 and spent his retirement time helping train the next generation, passing on his mad-rat skills. Rats like Magawa can move quickly across the ground, using their sense of smell to detect explosives. And because they are so light, they don’t trigger the mines themselves. And to continue the celebration of this little hero, in 2026 on International Mine Awareness Day, a statue was unveiled in Siem Reap, Cambodia to honor him. Magawa is a reminder that sometimes the smallest lives can make the biggest impact, often in ways we would never expect. Enjoy this video of Magawa and the unveiling of his deserved recognition.