Join us as we learn about the power of pouched rats! ERIN SACKETT, US partnerships and exhibits officer, will talk to us about wildlife trafficking, APOPO’s wildlife trafficking detection program and how pouched rats are trained to sniff out wildlife crime. Why pouched rats?! Erin will fill us in.  

APOPO is a global nonprofit organization that trains rats and other scent detection animals to protect people and the planet with effective detection solutions. We are best known for our landmine detection HeroRATs, but also work in other applications, including the detection of illegally trafficked wildlife products. The wildlife trafficking detection program uses giant pouched rats, HeroRATs, to scent-detect rhino horn, elephant ivory, pangolin scale, African blackwood, and most recently, giraffe

Also, VEILA MAKUNDI, the Anne Innis Dagg Education Coordinator for Wild Nature Institute, will join us from Tanzania to update us on the work that she is doing in local schools to educate students about wildlife conversation.

Veila Makundi implements the 'Celebrating Africa's Giants' education program for Wild Nature Institute and the 'Living in Harmony With Your Natural Surroundings' education program for PAMS Foundation in primary and secondary schools throughout the Tarangire-Manyara Ecosystem. Veila creates educational materials, trains teachers, provides classroom instruction, and organizes school and community events to celebrate wildlife and nature. Veila hails from Morogoro and is currently based at Wild Nature Institute's field office in Mtowambu. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management at Sokoine University of Agriculture, and worked as a primary school teacher and a field research assistant studying African pouched rats before joining our team.

And Junior Giraffe Club facilitator, MARIANA MARENO-FLOREZ, will have a fun Kahoot for us to do.

Don’t miss it! See you on November 22nd, 2025 at 11am EST (Toronto/Canada)!