It's never easy to win over the public as a representative of rats. After all, there's that hairless tail.
Despite the bad press, Runa at the San Diego Zoo is doing her best to counter it. At three U.S. zoos, she is one of a handful of such so-called ambassadors. A Tanzanian organization trained the rats to detect diseases, combat wildlife trafficking, and perform other useful tasks.
Despite the fact that the illegal animal trade is highly destructive to the species we are actively trying to save and protect in the wild, Nicki Boyd, of the San Diego Zoo and Wildlife Alliance, said rats can be a valuable tool in the fight against wildlife trafficking.
"We need to understand the capabilities of these animals, and we must treat them humanely," she says.