Ella the Canine Detective: A Vital Asset in the Fight Against African Swine Fever

Stockstadt, Hesse - A distinct scent in the air brings joy to Ella, a skilled German Shepherd trained in locating wild boar carcasses. This ability makes her an essential ally in the ongoing battle against African Swine Fever (ASF).

Officially known as Ella Elizabeth von Kronachtal, the canine's lengthy name is often shortened by her handler, Dorothea Ulshöfer, to better fit the urgency of their work. The duo operates within the Kühkopf nature reserve near Stockstadt, where their mission is to locate deceased wild boars.

Since the first case of ASF was confirmed in Hesse's Groß-Gerau district on June 15, 2024, the prioritization of locating dead wild boars has been critical. Rapid removal of these carcasses is essential to prevent further spread of the disease.

To ensure Ella's safety during searches, she wears a GPS collar, allowing her handler to track her location. The ASF virus can linger in carcasses for months, and wild boars can contract the virus by investigating the remains of their deceased peers. To mitigate the outbreak, electric fences were erected immediately in southern Hesse following the initial ASF detection.

So far, search teams have uncovered approximately 3,000 wild boar carcasses, with over 1,100 testing positive for ASF. The spread of the disease has also led to the culling of 3,500 domestic pigs, as the virus moved from wild boars to farm environments.

During training in Brandenburg, the cadaver-sniffing dogs are also prepared for encounters with live wild boars, which can pose dangers to both humans and dogs. Ella can effectively search for about an hour before needing a break of two to three hours.

When Ella identifies a carcass, she signals her discovery by stopping or altering her path, a crucial indication for her handler. However, the search process can be perilous; while the ASF virus is harmless to humans and dogs, there have been instances where a trained dog was killed by an aggressive wild boar.

The emotional toll of the search can also be significant for the human teams involved. They often encounter distressed wild boars in their final moments and are required to call hunters to euthanize these animals humanely. This scenario is particularly challenging for Marcel Schäfer, the search coordinator, who has witnessed heart-wrenching situations involving a sick mother boar and her unviable piglets.

The urgency of locating and removing infected carcasses cannot be overstated in the wake of the ASF outbreak. With over 100 human-dog teams deployed in the affected regions of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, and Rhineland-Palatinate, the collaboration between skilled dogs like Ella and their handlers remains a critical strategy in controlling the spread of this devastating disease.