Rats With Tiny Backpacks Could Soon Save Earthquake Survivors

Rats with tiny backpacks could soon save earthquake survivors. What the what? A Belgian non-profit that trains animals to save lives is fitting rats with tiny, specialized backpacks. This will help emergency crews search for survivors in the event of building collapses. The project from APOPO is currently in the testing phase.  Rats are being sent into a simulated disaster area to practice performing rescues.

According to the New York Post their small size, excellent sense of smell make them the right rodent for the job.  Plus, they have an adventurous nature making them the perfect animal to help in disasters like earthquakes. The rats are trained to pull a switch on their backpack that triggers a beeper. The backpacks also include a location transmitter and a two-way microphone to help survivors.