Current Affairs - State - Discussion

Karnataka’s initiative to address the rising human-elephant conflict in the Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu districts through a “soft-release” strategy. This approach involves gradually rehabilitating captured elephants into the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS), where they will undergo acclimatization and health checks in a 20 sq. km enclosure before being released to designated sites. BWS, a Project Tiger reserve, supports diverse wildlife, including tigers, leopards, and over 250 bird species, and is home to around 450 elephants with a capacity for 200 more. This strategy aims to balance conservation efforts with human-wildlife coexistence.