Karnataka is accelerating its plan to rehabilitate elephants straying outside forest areas, currently numbering around 300. This surge in elephants venturing into human landscapes is attributed to habitat loss, fragmentation, and increasing human-elephant conflict. The state government has approved a ₹100 crore plan focusing on creating ‘elephant corridors’ and improving existing ‘elephant reserves’.
The rehabilitation strategy involves establishing temporary kraals (enclosures) to capture elephants, followed by translocation to suitable forest areas. However, the plan acknowledges the limitations of simply moving elephants and emphasizes habitat improvement within forest regions as a long-term solution. This includes restoring degraded forest patches, creating water sources, and planting preferred food crops.
A key component is the development of 14 elephant corridors identified by a task force. These corridors aim to connect fragmented forest patches, allowing elephants safe passage and reducing conflict with humans. Land acquisition for these corridors is proving challenging, requiring negotiation with private landowners and navigating legal hurdles.
The plan also prioritizes strengthening rapid response teams to manage conflict situations. These teams will be equipped to monitor elephant movements, provide early warning to communities, and safely guide elephants away from human settlements.
The Forest Department is collaborating with NGOs and local communities in the rehabilitation efforts. Community involvement is considered crucial for the success of the plan, particularly in ensuring the long-term sustainability of habitat restoration and corridor maintenance.
Recent incidents, including elephant deaths due to electrocution and road accidents, have underscored the urgency of the situation. The government aims to complete the initial phase of the rehabilitation plan within the next two years, focusing on the most critical conflict zones. The long-term goal is to reduce human-elephant conflict and ensure the coexistence of both species. The plan also includes provisions for compensating farmers for crop damage caused by elephants.
