Genius animals with amazing jobs
From dogs to dolphins, pretty much everyone loves animals. It's not hard to see why, animals can bring such joy into our lives, whether it's in our home, on our screens, or out in the wild. However, there are some animals that put in work, hard work in fact. Of course you've heard of guide dogs and the like, but there are more jobs out there in the animal kingdom, like police horses, sneaky smuggling pigeons, and oysters that fight against water pollution.Rats get a bad reputation as a nuisance in cities, but their cleverness and ability to get into tight spaces is being put to good use. Most recently, Belgian non-profit APOPO started putting tiny, high-tech backpacks on rodents to help first responders search for survivors among rubble in disaster zones, CNN reports. With the rise of natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes putting more lives at threat by leveling entire towns, rats' small size, adventurous spirit, and excellent sense of smell make them perfect for locating survivors in tight spaces, says Donna Kean, a behavioral research scientist and leader of the project.
The rats, currently still in training, are to first locate the target person in an empty room, pull a switch on their vest that triggers a beeper, and then return to base, where they will receive a treat. The backpacks will reportedly be equipped with a video camera, two-way microphone, and location transmitter to help first responders communicate with survivors. But you'll see that rats have many other diverse talents, too.
