Giant rats have been trained to detect illegal wildlife trade.

African giant pouched rats have proven to be skilled at identifying four commonly trafficked products derived from endangered species, including rhino horn and elephant ivory.

These trained rats could play a role in combating the multi-billion-dollar illegal wildlife trade by using their keen sense of smell to identify trafficked animal products.

The nonprofit organization APOPO already uses southern giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) to detect landmines in post-conflict zones and to identify tuberculosis.

In a recent study, Isabelle Szott and Kate Webb at APOPO, along with their colleagues, tested the ability of the pouched rats to detect four commonly trafficked items from endangered species, such as rhino...