know where the mines are. If they succeed, they are certified as bomb-sniffing rats. APOPO is also training the rats to detect tuberculosis by sniffing sputum samples. The rats can test many more samples than a scientist can—hundreds in a day, compared with 30 to 40 by traditional methods. Land mine and tuberculosis sniffing rats are called HeroRATs. In popular culture Ben, in the 2003 remake of Willard, was a Gambian pouched rat. References Further reading Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, London External links APOPO's HeroRATs UKpouchies, free information site National Pouched Rat Society, NPRS Pouched Rat Society Rodents of Africa Cricetomys Taxa named by George Robert Waterhouse