Environmentalists oppose elephant soft release centre inside bhadra tiger reserve

Time of India

01-05-2025

Chikkamagaluru: As
Karnataka forest department
prepares to establish the state's first planned soft release centre for wild elephants at
Bhadra tiger reserve
, environmental activists have voiced their opposition to the facility.
Prominent environmentalists, including DV Girish of Bhadra
wildlife conservation
trust, Girijashankar, former member of the state wildlife board, and Shreedev Hulikere, managing trustee of WildCAT-C, asserted that the proposed centre could damage the protected habitat and suggested its establishment outside the sanctuary. The facility was intended to support
rescued wild elephants
.
"We oppose any plan to create a facility inside the sanctuary or tiger reserve. Creating an
elephant soft release centre
inside the Bhadra sanctuary is not appropriate and not in the interest of wildlife and its conservation," they argued.
Activists point out that this untested concept could prove detrimental if implemented within a sanctuary. Established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1974, following its status as reserve forests since 1915, Bhadra is recognised for its varied vegetation, abundant water resources, and premium climatic conditions suitable for wildlife existence. The area received tiger reserve status in 1998 and was designated as a core critical tiger habitat in 2008.
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Substantial financial resources were invested to implement this project and protect the sanctuary from degradation. Establishing an elephant soft release centre within the sanctuary contradicts wildlife conservation principles and undermines the sanctuary's purpose, they contended.
While acknowledging human-wildlife conflicts in the district, including casualties, property damage, and other challenges, environmentalists commend the forest department's initiatives to address these issues. They emphasise that solutions should not compromise the sanctuary's protection efforts. Girish said, "We urge the forest department to find areas outside forests for this project, thereby continuing to keep whatever is left of our sanctuaries intact."
The centre is a first in the state initiative to ensure survival of rescued wild elephants. Authorities have identified four locations inside Bhadra Tiger Reserve in Chikkamagaluru district but are yet to finalise the location. The locations were identified based on the fodder availability for elephants. Bhadra Tiger Reserve has a carrying capacity of up to 500 jumbos, and the foresters argued that the forest can accommodate another 50 elephants.
The main aim is to acclimatise captured elephants, which are growing in number. Whenever there is a man-elephant conflict, locals demand the elephants be relocated, posing danger to the jumbos. The centre is proposed to be over 20 square kilometres. Once the animal adjusts to the climatic conditions, it will be released into the forest and monitored regularly. As per the plan, the area will be protected by railway barricades. CM Siddaramaiah has announced funds in the recent budget.
A senior forest official defended the project, stating it was thoroughly planned with expert consultation. He maintained that the soft release centre is essential for wild elephant protection and conflict prevention.