Alberta's Rat-Free Status
Despite occasional claims to the contrary, Alberta has maintained its rat-free status for 75 years.
University of Alberta anthropology professor Darcie DeAngelo researches rats' relationships with humans, shedding light on the feasibility of this status.
DeAngelo's interest in rats began while researching military wasteland and minefields for her Master's degree, where she discovered that in Cambodia, rats are used to detect landmines by scent.
The rat was a different actor in the minefield, so it created a different choreography of landmine detection.
DeAngelo collects stories about rats, noting that everyone seems to have a story to share about them.
Author's summary: Alberta's rat-free status is researched by U of A professor.
- Alberta has been rat-free for 75 years.
- Rats are used in Cambodia to detect landmines.