• Turkey trains mice with cameras to locate survivors under rubble
• The project provides precise, real-time data to rescue teams in tight spaces

Turkey adopted an innovative method in post-disaster search and rescue operations, training mice to carry small cameras and GPS devices on their backs to guide rescuers to trapped individuals.

The country recalled the tragedy of the February 6, 2023 earthquake, which struck ten provinces, leaving tens of thousands trapped under collapsed buildings, some of whom remained inaccessible for days.

The new initiative aimed to address Turkey’s seismic challenges by using a larger African mouse species, capable of navigating confined spaces and detecting human scents.

Project leaders named them the "Hero Mice," subjecting them to intensive training to recognize human scent while carrying a small pack containing a camera, two-way communication system, and GPS device.

Local reports indicated the mice were transported from Tanzania to Turkey and continued training in realistic rubble sites in Antalya province, to be deployed practically after completing the program and obtaining official approvals.

The project, overseen by governmental and research institutions, aimed to provide rescue teams with immediate, precise information about the location of survivors, particularly those unable to call for help.

The mice demonstrated the ability to return to their starting point after completing a search, allowing them to be reused in other rescue missions during large-scale disasters affecting multiple areas simultaneously.

Teams benefited from the slightly larger size of these African mice compared to ordinary mice, enabling them to carry the camera packs and enjoy a longer lifespan of up to ten years versus two for normal mice.

During the 2023 earthquake, rescue teams relied on trained dogs and robots, but mice offer a new advantage: reaching narrow spaces inaccessible by any other means.

The earthquake claimed approximately 55,000 lives, injured over 100,000, and revealed the difficulty of reaching survivors trapped under rubble for extended periods, sometimes exceeding a week before rescue teams could reach them.