1. Karnataka Forest Department has proposed a “soft release” plan for wild elephants from Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu districts.
  2. Identified 20 sq. km enclosure inside Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary to house and monitor captured elephants before releasing them into the wild.
  3. This move follows repeated human-wildlife conflicts due to crop raids and attacks, leading to local demands for capturing the elephants.
  4. The sanctuary already has 450 elephants, and the plan considers ecological carrying capacity, indicating a scientific approach to conservation.