MOROGORO, Tanzania – Rats have long been misunderstood, often seen as pests rather than pals. However, the African giant pouched rat, the largest in the world, possesses special qualities that ...

African giant pouched rats, which have previously been trained to sniff out buried mines and detect tuberculosis, are now being used to stop smuggling in Tanzania, The Guardian reported.

According to M&M Pest Control, based in the tri-state area, approximately 3 million rats live in New York City, with most being of the Norway species or what is commonly referred to as the brown rat.