Meet the rat Carolina who is retiring after saving hundreds of lives

In the fight against one of the world's most lethal diseases, Carolina is a standout — not just as a rat, but as a marvelous life-saver. In the big world of medicine, lifesaving heroes can be unexpected. For Carolina, the giant African pouched rat, her job isn't to entertain or oblige — but to save lives. With her little paws, wiggling whiskers, and incredible sense of smell, Carolina is a valuable player in the worldwide battle against tuberculosis (TB), sniff by sniff.

Carolina is one of the participants in a special program by the non-profit organization APOPO that trains rats to identify landmines and diagnose diseases such as TB. Rats in medicine would raise an eyebrow or two, but Carolina's work proves the immense potential of nature's gifts if used effectively.

What is Tuberculosis? Tuberculosis, a bacterial disease that targets the lungs specifically, is still a leading infectious cause of death worldwide, and especially in the developing world. Getting it right and on time is essential, but in most of the developing world, there is no up-to-date diagnostic equipment to be found.
Owing to her incredible scent, Carolina can detect TB in human sputum samples with speed and accuracy. She can sort through hundreds of samples in minutes, much quicker than the speed of conventional testing methods. What it takes a lab technician hours or even days to do, she can do in minutes. Studies have shown that these HeroRats have the potential to double detection rates for TB by up to 40% when used to validate tests at community clinics.

For seven years, quietly and without fanfare, Carolina has done her job — sniffing, stopping, and indicating. With each indication she makes when she finds TB, she gets a food reward and possibly provides a human patient with an improved opportunity for treatment and healing. It's a system of faith, accuracy, and attention between the handlers and their animals.

A recent Instagram post celebrating Carolina's work has shed light on the bigger work being done by APOPO. The entry shows Carolina in the field and regards her as a "superstar"—a title she has certainly earned. With millions of lives touched by TB each year, the work of APOPO's one little rat is a reminder that the fight against disease doesn't always require high-tech solutions. Sometimes it means having great instincts and a great nose. Rats are pests and not healthcare or heroes. But Carolina defies that every day, showing us that intelligence, commitment, and influence are not species-specific.

Regardless of a field clinic or a laboratory, the service of animals like Carolina reminds us that assistance and hope can be found in the unlikeliest of places.