The Importance of Animals’ Power of Smell

There are 110 million deadly landmines buried deep in the ground, waiting to maim and take a life. Citizens trapped underneath piles of debris, with no way out and no way to signal a rescue team. A grief-filled soul, drowning in an empty void. Any human alone cannot stop the incoming catastrophe: only an animal can.

The animals that use their senses to keep up safe amazing senses animals have are often critical to humans. For example, HeroRATS is an organization that trains giant African pouched rats to sniff out landmines. These dangerous weapons are left behind from past wars. Although all countries signed a pact to never use landmines again, some people still use them illegally, especially in war. But instead of taking out enemy soldiers, they instead prey upon innocent civilians.

One rat named Magawa uncovered over 100 landmines, earning him a mini bravery medal. Collectively, these HeroRATS have uncovered over 120 thousand landmines.

The rats’ strong sense of smell can swiftly detect the chemical compound in bombs, and the rats’ small size does not set off the landmine, making them perfect for the job. A rat can scan an area the size of a tennis court in about 20 minutes, while it would’ve taken a human four days.

Besides the rats, many other animals also help us in their own way. Besides keeping nature in balance, some animals have an instinct to protect other creatures. Dolphins are notorious for driving sharks away from surfers. In Australia, lions once chased kidnappers away from a 12-year-old girl, staying by her side until the police arrived.

Non-human creatures of the nature have been born with senses greater than ours. That is why they’re much better at detecting lost objects, hidden bombs, and buried people, making them much more efficient than humans at rescue jobs.

Animals have been helping humans ever since 10,000 BC, the earliest account believed to be dog/of a domesticated dog. The dog hunted, guarded, and fought alongside humans, making life easier for them .

Additionally, historically, animals often held positions of spiritual honor and respect in different cultures, such as the cat in Egypt, or the bison to Native Americans.