The forests of Bhadra Tiger Reserve lie in the heart of the largest Asian elephant and tiger population in the world, but have been highly fragmented by human settlements. Residents of villages within Bhadra once had minimum access to electricity, schools, or hospitals. At the same time, through cattle grazing, poaching, and clearing of land for agriculture, these villagers negatively impacted wildlife and natural habitats. Through a commitment from WCS and partners, and with the strong support of the Government of India, resettlement from Bhadra began in 2001. Between 2001 and 2002, nearly 4,000 people (419 families) from 13 villages were resettled from Bhadra. After resettlement, all families own irrigated, fertile lands for agriculture, and their village lands within the park were consolidated into the Reserve to recover its protected forests. Voluntary resettlement served the dual purpose of improving human lives and livelihoods, and enhancing the viability of wildlife populations. To assess the conservation impact, WCS has been monitoring tiger and prey populations annually since 1997, using cutting-edge scientific techniques. Interview surveys of families from the 13 villages were also conducted to assess impacts on livelihoods.