The state of

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...

has a rich diversity of flora and fauna. It has a recorded forest area of 38720 km² which constitutes 22.3467719% of the total geographical area of the state.Statistics related to forests in Karnataka is provided by These forests support 25% of the

elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae ...

population and 20% of the

tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on ...

population of India. Many regions of Karnataka are still unexplored and new species of flora and fauna are still found. The Western Ghats mountains in the western region of Karnataka are a

biodiversity hotspot A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation. Norman Myers wrote about the concept in two articles in ''The Environmentalist'' in 1988 and 1990, after which the c ...

. Two sub-clusters of the Western Ghats,

Talacauvery Talakaveri or Talacauvery is the place that is generally considered to be the source of the river Kaveri and a holy place for many Hindus. It is located on Brahmagiri hills near Bhagamandala in Kodagu district, Karnataka State. It is locat ...

and

Kudremukh Kudremukha(ಕುದುರೆ ಮುಖ) is a mountain range and name of a peak located in Chikkamagaluru district, in Karnataka, India. It is also the name of a small hill station iron ore mining town situated near the mountain, about 20 kilo ...

in Karnataka, are in a tentative list of sites that could be designated as

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

s by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

.Western Ghats being nominated by India as a

is mentioned by The Bandipur and Nagarahole national parks which fall outside these subclusters were included in the Nilgiri biosphere reserve in 1986, a UNESCO designation.

Biligiriranga Hills The Biligirirangana Hills or Biligirirangan Hills (as referred to in biology and geology) is a hill range situated in south-western Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu (Erode District) in South India. The area is called Biligiri Ranganatha ...

is a place where

Eastern Ghats The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats pass through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka as well as Telangana. They are eroded and cut ...

meets Western Ghats. The state bird and state animal of Karnataka are

Indian roller The Indian roller (''Coracias benghalensis'') is a bird of the family Coraciidae. It is long with a wingspan of and weighs . The face and throat are pinkish, the head and back are brown, with blue on the rump and contrasting light and dark blu ...

and the

Indian elephant The Indian elephant (''Elephas maximus indicus'') is one of four extant recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List as the wild pop ...

respectively. The state tree and state flower are sandalwood (''

Santalum album ''Santalum album'', or Indian sandalwood, is a small tropical tree, and the traditional source of sandalwood oil. It is native to southern India and Southeast Asia. It is considered sacred in some religions like Hinduism, and some cultures plac ...

'') and lotus respectively.Flora and Fauna as state symbols of Karnataka are mentioned by Karnataka is home to 524 tigers (around 12% of Tigers in world).

National parks in Karnataka

Male Gaur (asiatic wild ox) at Nagarahole wildlife sanctuary

Karnataka has 5 National Parks:

Anshi National Park

This park is present in the

Uttara Kannada Uttara Kannada is a district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Uttara Kannada District is a major coastal district of Karnataka, and currently holding the title of the largest district in Karnataka. It is bordered by the state of Goa and Bel ...

district and spreads over an area of 250 km². The altitude varies from to , and temperatures from 15.5 °C to 45 °C. Average annual rainfall is about . #Flora:A Walk on the Wild Side, An Information Guide to National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Karnataka, Compiled and Edited by Dr. Nima Manjrekar, Karnataka Forest Department, Wildlife Wing, October 2000 The area has semi-evergreen and

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

forests. Some common tree species in the area are ''

Calophyllum ''Calophyllum'' is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Calophyllaceae. They are mainly distributed in Asia, with some species in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, and the Pacific Islands. History Members of the genus ''Calophyll ...

tomentosa'', ''

wightianum'', '' Garcina cambogia'', '' Garcina morealla'', '' Knema attenuata'', ''

Hopea ''Hopea'' is a genus of plants in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The genus was named after John Hope, 1725–1786, the first Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. It contains some 113 species, distributed from Sri Lanka and south ...

wightiana'', ''

Tetrameles ''Tetrameles'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Tetramelaceae with one species, ''Tetrameles nudiflora''. It grows as a large deciduous tree and is found across southern Asia from India through southeast Asia, Malesia, and into nort ...

nudiflora'', '' Alstonia scholaris'', '' Flacourtia

montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...

'', '' Machilis macarantha'', '' Carallia brachiata'', ''

Artocarpus ''Artocarpus'' is a genus of approximately 60 trees and shrubs of Southeast Asian and Pacific origin, belonging to the mulberry family, Moraceae. Most species of ''Artocarpus'' are restricted to Southeast Asia; a few cultivated species are more w ...

hirsutus'', ''

lacoocha'' and ''

Cinnamomum ''Cinnamomum'' is a genus of evergreen aromatic trees and shrubs belonging to the laurel family, Lauraceae. The species of ''Cinnamomum'' have aromatic oils in their leaves and bark. The genus contains approximately 250 species, distributed in ...

zeylanicum''. #Fauna: Mammals in the park include

gaur The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 m ...

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

, sambar,

chevrotain Chevrotains, or mouse-deer, are small even-toed ungulates that make up the family Tragulidae, the only extant members of the infraorder Tragulina. The 10 extant species are placed in three genera, but several species also are known only ...

muntjac Muntjacs ( ), also known as the barking deer or rib-faced deer, (URL is Google Books) are small deer of the genus ''Muntiacus'' native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. Muntjacs are thought to have begun appearing 15–35 million years ago, ...

chital The chital or cheetal (''Axis axis''; ), also known as the spotted deer, chital deer, and axis deer, is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It was first described and given a binomial name by German naturalist Johann Christian Po ...

gray langur Gray langurs, also called Hanuman langurs and Hanuman monkeys, are Old World monkeys native to the Indian subcontinent constituting the genus ''Semnopithecus''. Traditionally only one species ''Semnopithecus entellus'' was recognized, but since a ...

bonnet macaque The bonnet macaque (''Macaca radiata''), also known as zati,Chambers English Dictionary is a species of macaque endemic to southern India. Its distribution is limited by the Indian Ocean on three sides and the Godavari and Tapti Rivers, along wit ...

slender loris The slender lorises (''Loris'') are a genus of loris native to India and Sri Lanka. The genus comprises two species, the red slender loris found in Sri Lanka and the gray slender loris from Sri Lanka and India. Slender lorises spend most of their ...

Bengal tiger The Bengal tiger is a population of the '' Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies. It ranks among the biggest wild cats alive today. It is considered to belong to the world's charismatic megafauna. The tiger is estimated to have been present in ...

jungle cat The jungle cat (''Felis chaus''), also called reed cat, swamp cat and jungle lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to the Middle East, the Caucasus, South and Southeast Asia and southern China. It inhabits foremost wetlands like swamps, littoral ...

Indian leopard The Indian leopard (''Panthera pardus fusca'') is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. The species ''Panthera pardus'' is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because populations have declined following habita ...

leopard cat The leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a small wild cat native to continental South, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely distributed although threatened by hab ...

small Indian civet The small Indian civet (''Viverricula indica'') is a civet native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because of its widespread distribution, widespread habitat use and healthy populations living in agr ...

, common mongoose,

golden jackal The golden jackal (''Canis aureus''), also called common jackal, is a wolf-like canid that is native to Southeast Europe, Southwest Asia, South Asia, and regions of Southeast Asia. The golden jackal's coat varies in color from a pale creamy ...

dhole The dhole (''Cuon alpinus''; ) is a canid native to Central, South, East and Southeast Asia. Other English names for the species include Asian wild dog, Asiatic wild dog, Indian wild dog, whistling dog, red dog, red wolf, and mountain wolf. It ...

sloth bear The sloth bear (''Melursus ursinus'') is a myrmecophagous bear species native to the Indian subcontinent. It feeds on fruits, ants and termites. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, mainly because of habitat loss and degradation. ...

, Malabar giant squirrel,

grizzled giant squirrel The grizzled giant squirrel (''Ratufa macroura'') is a large tree squirrel in the genus '' Ratufa'' found in the highlands of the Central and Uva provinces of Sri Lanka, and in patches of riparian forest along the Kaveri River and in the hill f ...

Indian giant flying squirrel The Indian giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista philippensis''), also called the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is capable of gliding flight using a skin membrane ...

, and

Indian crested porcupine The Indian crested porcupine (''Hystrix indica'') is a hystricomorph rodent species native to southern Asia and the Middle East. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It belongs to the Old World porcupine family, Hystricidae. De ...

. King cobra,

python Python may refer to: Snakes * Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia ** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia * Python (mythology), a mythical serpent Computing * Python (pro ...

, cobra,

rat snake Rat snakes are members – along with kingsnakes, milk snakes, vine snakes and indigo snakes – of the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. They are medium to large constrictors and are found throughout much of the Northern Hemi ...

, viper and

krait ''Bungarus'' is a genus of venomous elapid snakes, the kraits ("krait" is pronounced , rhyming with "kite"), found in South and Southeast Asia. The genus ''Bungarus'' has 16 species. Distribution Kraits are found in tropical Asia, from near Ira ...

are among the snakes that inhabit the park. Interesting birds include the

great hornbill The great hornbill (''Buceros bicornis''), also known as the concave-casqued hornbill, great Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. It occurs in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It ...

Malabar pied hornbill The Malabar pied hornbill (''Anthracoceros coronatus''), also known as lesser pied hornbill, is a bird in the hornbill family, a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World. Taxonomy The Malabar pied hornbill was described by ...

and Ceylon frogmouth.

Bandipur National Park

It is situated within Gundlupet taluk of

Chamarajanagar District Chamarajanagar or Chamarajanagara is the southernmost district in the state of Karnataka, India. It was carved out of the original larger Mysore District in 1998. Chamarajanagar town is the headquarters of this district. It is the third leas ...

covering an area of over 800 km² and adjoins the states of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

and

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

. In 1973, Bandipur became one of the first of India's tiger reserves and became a part of

Project Tiger Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of the Bengal tiger in its natural habitats, protect ...

. In 1977, intention was declared under the Wildlife Protection Act to notify it as a national park. #Flora: The scrub jungles towards the eastern limits of the park consist of stunted trees, interspersed with bushes and open grassy patches. Towards its north-western fringes, there is a gradual shift in the vegetation from open dry

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...

forests to tropical mixed deciduous forests. These diverse habitats support an enormous diversity of animal life. #Fauna: The mammals found here are

(''Elephas maximus indicus''),

(''Bos gaurus''), sambar ('' Cervus unicolor''), chital or spotted deer ('' Axis axis''), muntjac ('' Muntiacus muntjak'') or barking deer, mouse deer ('' Moschiola indica''), bonnet macaque ('' Macaca radiata''), slender loris ('' Loris tardigradus''), red giant flying squirrel ('' Petaurista petaurista''),

(''Panthera tigris''),

(''Panthera pardus''), common palm civet ('' Paradoxurus hermaphroditus''), small Indian civet ('' Viverricula indica''), sloth bear ('' Melursus ursinus''), dhole or Asiatic wild dog ('' Cuon alpinus''),

(''Canis aureus''), ruddy mongoose ('' Herpestes smithii''),

smooth-coated otter The smooth-coated otter (''Lutrogale perspicillata'') is an otter species occurring in most of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with a disjunct population in Iraq. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1996 and is threa ...

(''Lutrogale perspicillata''), Indian pangolin ('' Manis crassicaudata''). Among the 230 species of birds identified here, some of the important groups include herons, storks, egrets, ducks, kites, eagles,

falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...

quail Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy. Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New ...

partridge A partridge is a medium-sized galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They are sometimes grouped in the Perd ...

s, wildfowl,

lapwing Lapwings (subfamily Vanellinae) are any of various ground-nesting birds (family Charadriidae) akin to plovers and dotterels. They range from in length, and are noted for their slow, irregular wingbeats in flight and a shrill, wailing cry. A gro ...

sandpiper Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil ...

s, pigeons, doves,

parakeet A parakeet is any one of many small to medium-sized species of parrot, in multiple genera, that generally has long tail feathers. Etymology and naming The name ''parakeet'' is derived from the French wor''perroquet'' which is reflected in ...

s, cuckoos, owls,

nightjar Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds in the family Caprimulgidae and order Caprimulgiformes, characterised by long wings, short legs, and very short bills. They are sometimes called goatsuckers, due to the ancient folk tal ...

swift Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to: * SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks ** SWIFT code * Swift (programming language) * Swift (bird), a family of birds It may also refer to: Organizations * SWIFT, ...

kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...

s, bee-eaters and munias. Reptiles like marsh crocodile ('' Crocodylus palustris''), Indian pond terrapin, starred tortoise (''

Geochelone elegans ''Geochelone'' is a genus of tortoises. ''Geochelone'' tortoises, which are also known as typical tortoises or terrestrial turtles, can be found in southern Asia. They primarily eat plants. Species The genus consists of two extant species: A ...

''), common Indian monitor ('' Varanus bengalensis''), Indian chameleon ('' Chamaeleo zeylanicus''), skinks ('' Mabuya spp.''), geckos (''

Hemidactylus __NOTOC__ ''Hemidactylus'' is a genus of the common gecko family, Gekkonidae. It has 189 described species, newfound ones being described every few years. These geckos are found in all the tropical regions of the world, extending into the subtrop ...

''), common rat snake (''

Ptyas mucosus ''Ptyas mucosa'', commonly known as the oriental ratsnake, Indian rat snake, ''darash'' or ''dhaman'', is a common non-venomous species of colubrid snake found in parts of South and Southeast Asia. Dhamans are large snakes. Typical mature total ...

''),

Indian cobra The Indian cobra (''Naja naja''), also known as the spectacled cobra, Asian cobra, or binocellate cobra, is a species of cobra found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan, and a member of the "big four" species that are ...

(''Naja naja''), Russell's viper ('' Daboia russelli''),

common krait The common krait (''Bungarus caeruleus''), also known as Bengal krait, is a species of highly venomous elapid snake of the genus ''Bungarus'' native to the Indian subcontinent. It is a member of the "Big Four" species that inflict the most snake ...

(''Bungarus caeruleus''), Indian python (''

Python molurus The Indian python (''Python molurus'') is a large python species native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is also known by the common names black-tailed python, Indian rock python, and Asian ...

''), checkered keelback, green whip snake, common Indian bronzeback ('' Dendrelaphis tristis'') and trinket snake ('' Elaphe helena'') are found here

Bannerghatta National Park

It is located in

Bengaluru urban district Bangalore Urban district is the most densely populated district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is surrounded by the Bangalore Rural district on the east and north, the Ramanagara district on the west and the Krishnagiri district of Tami ...

and kanakapura taluk of ramanagara district covers over 260.51 km² of area. Altitude varies from to , temperature from 20° to 35 °C and the average annual rainfall is . #Flora: The area has dry

forests and thorny shrubs, with patches of moist

forests along the streams. Tree species in the park include '' Anogeissus latifolia'', '' Schleichera '', ''

Terminalia tomentosa ''Terminalia elliptica'' is a species of '' Terminalia'' native to southern and southeast Asia in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.Sal and Saaj Deforestation in West Nepal"Terminalia Tomentosa"/ref> It is a ...

'', ''

Terminalia arjuna ''Terminalia arjuna'' is a tree of the genus '' Terminalia''. It is commonly known as arjuna or arjun tree in English. Description ''T. arjuna'' grows to about 20–25 metres tall; usually has a buttressed trunk, and forms a wide canopy at t ...

'', ''

Grewia ''Grewia'' is a large flowering plant genus in the mallow family Malvaceae, in the expanded sense as proposed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. Formerly, Grewia was placed in either the family Tiliaceae or the Sparrmanniaceae. However, these ...

tilaefolia'', ''

Santalum ''Santalum'' is a genus of woody flowering plants in the Santalaceae family, the best known and commercially valuable of which is the Indian sandalwood tree, '' S. album''. Members of the genus are trees or shrubs. Most are root parasites w ...

album'', ''

Shorea Fruit of a ''Shorea'' species ''Shorea'' is a genus of about 196 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The genus is named after Sir John Shore, the governor-general of the British East India Company, 1793–1798. T ...

talura'', '' Emblica officinalis'', ''

Vitex ''Vitex'' is a genus of flowering plants in the sage family Lamiaceae.List of Genera in Lamiaceae. At: Peter F. Stevens. 2001 onwards. Angiosperm Phylogeny Website At: Missouri Botanical Garden Website. (see ''External links'' below). It has ...

altissima'', '' Wrightia tinctoria'', '' Randia sp.'', '' Ziziphus'' sp. and ''

Albizzia ''Albizia'' is a genus of more than 160 species of mostly fast-growing subtropical and tropical trees and shrubs in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae. The genus is pantropical, occurring in Asia, Africa, Madagascar, America and A ...

sp.''. Bamboos are common in the park, the dominant species being ''

Dendrocalamus ''Dendrocalamus'' is a tropical Asian genus of giant clumping bamboos in the grass family. It is found in the Indian subcontinent, China, and Southeast Asia. '' Dendrocalamus giganteus'' is one of the tallest of bamboos, capable of reaching heig ...

strictus''. A small area of the park has plantations of Eucalyptus, ''

Bauhinia ''Bauhinia'' () is a large genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Cercidoideae and tribe Bauhinieae, in the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers Gaspard and J ...

purpurea'', '' Samanea saman'' and '' Peltophorum pterocarpum''. #Fauna: Mammals in the park include Indian leopard, gaur, Indian elephant, golden jackal, fox, wild boar, sloth bear, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, common langur, bonnet macaque, Indian crested porcupine and hare. A Bengal tiger has recently been sighted in the park.

Kudremukh National Park

Spread over an area of 600.32 km², it encompasses regions in the districts of Dakshina Kannada,

Udupi Udupi (alternate spelling Udipi; also known as Odipu) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Udupi is situated about north of the educational, commercial and industrial hub of Mangalore and about west of state capital Bangalore by road. ...

and

Chikmagalur Chikmagalur, known officially as Chikkamagaluru, is a city and the headquarters of Chikmagalur district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the foothills of the Mullayanagiri peak of the Western Ghats, the city attracts tourists fro ...

. Altitude varies from to . The park has a pleasant climate, with temperatures ranging from 17° to 28 °C. Annual rainfall varies from to , with an average of . The rivers Nethravati, Tunga and

Bhadra ''Bhadra''Feminine: sa, भद्रा, Bhadrā is a Sanskrit word meaning 'good', 'fortune' or 'auspicious'. It is also the name of many men, women and objects in Hindu mythology. Male Figures King of Chedi Bhadra was a king of Chedi Kingdom ...

are believed to originate here at Ganga Moola. #Flora: The park has mostly

and semi-evergreen forests.

Shola Sholas are the local name for patches of stunted tropical montane forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India, largely in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamilnadu. These patches of shola forest are foun ...

grassland habitat is found at elevations above . Evergreen trees include '' Poeciloneuron indicum'', '' Holigarna arnottiana'', ''

sp.'', ''

sp.'', '' Alstonia scholaris'', '' Canarium strictum'', ''

Syzygium ''Syzygium'' () is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The genus comprises about 1200 species, and has a native range that extends from Africa and Madagascar through southern Asia east through the Pacific. ...

cumini'', '' Flacourtia

'', ''

Symplocos ''Symplocos'' is a genus of flowering plants in the order Ericales. It contains about 300 species distributed in Asia and the Americas. Many species grow in humid tropical regions. This is sometimes considered to be the only genus in family Sym ...

spicata'', ''

parviflora'', ''

Mesua ferrea ''Mesua ferrea'', the Ceylon ironwood, or cobra saffron, is a species in the family Calophyllaceae. This slow-growing tree is named after the heaviness and hardness of its timber. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental due to its graceful sh ...

'' and '' Evodiaroxburghiana''. There are also a few plantations of ''

Eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as e ...

'', ''

Casuarina ''Casuarina'' is a genus of 17 tree species in the family Casuarinaceae, native to Australia, the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, islands of the western Pacific Ocean, and eastern Africa. It was once treated as the sole genus in the fa ...

'' and '' Acacia auriculiformis''. #Fauna: Mammals in the park include

, lion-tailed macaque, common langur,

, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, Malabar giant squirrel, Indian giant flying squirrel, Indian crested porcupine and mongoose. Reptiles are represented by snakes and tortoises. Bird species in the park include the

Malabar trogon The Malabar trogon (''Harpactes fasciatus'') is a species of bird in the trogon family. It is found in the forests of Sri Lanka and peninsular India. In India it is mainly found in the Western Ghats, hill forests of central India and in parts of ...

, Malabar whistling thrush and imperial pigeon.

Nagarahole National Park

Also known as Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) National Park gets its name from the ''Nagara Hole'' (''Snake River'' in Kannada) which runs eastwards through its centre. Nagarahole river flows through the park before it joins the Kabini river that also acts as a boundary between Nagarahole and Bandipur. The park covers an area of about 575 km². The

Wayanad Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of Indian state Kerala with administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, the southern ...

Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala adjoins to the Southeast. *Flora: These forests are dominated by

teak Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters ( pan ...

and

rosewood Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. True rosewoods All genuine rosewoods belong to the genus ''Dalbergia''. The pre-eminent rosewood appreciated ...

. The eastern limits of the park consist of regenerating dry deciduous forests. The west region of the park contains tropical moist and semi-evergreen forests. Interspersed with these forests are swampy fallows called hadlus, which are dominated by grasses and are favoured grazing areas of many wild herbivores. *Fauna: Some of the species of mammals found in this park are

(''Elephas maximus indicus''), gaur (''

Bos gaurus The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 m ...

''), sambar ('' Cervus unicolor''), chital or spotted deer or axis deer ('' Axis axis''), muntjac or barking deer ('' Muntiacus muntjak''), chevrotain or mouse deer ('' Moschiola indica''), four horned antelope ('' Tetracerus quadricornis''), giant fruit bat (''

Pteropus giganteus The Indian flying fox (''Pteropus medius'', formerly ''Pteropus giganteus''), also known as the greater Indian fruit bat, is a species of flying fox native to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the largest bats in the world. It is of interest ...

''),

(''Panthera tigris''),

(''Panthera pardus''), leopard cat ('' Felis bengalensis''), jungle cat (''

Felis chaus The jungle cat (''Felis chaus''), also called reed cat, swamp cat and jungle lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to the Middle East, the Caucasus, South and Southeast Asia and southern China. It inhabits foremost wetlands like swamps, littora ...

''), rusty spotted cat ('' Felis rubiginosa''), common palm civet ('' Paradoxurus hermaphroditus''), small Indian civet ('' Viverricula indica''), sloth bear ('' Melursus ursinus''), dhole or Asiatic wild dog ('' Cuon alpinus'') and flying fox (''

''), the largest Indian bat. Among the 300 species of birds identified in this park include herons, storks, egrets, ducks, kites, eagles, falcons, partridges, quails, peafowl, owls, lapwings, sandpipers, pigeons, doves, parakeets, cuckoos, nightjars, swifts, kingfishers, bee-eaters, barbets, swallows, larks, woodpeckers, shrikes and orioles. Reptiles include marsh crocodile ('' Crocodylus palustris''), Indian pond terrapin, star tortoise, common Indian monitor lizard ('' Varanus bengalensis''), forest calotes, southern green calotes, skinks ('' Mabuya'' spp.), geckos, spectacled cobra,

Russell's viper Russell's viper (''Daboia russelii''), is a venomous snake in the family Viperidae native to the Indian subcontinent and one of the big four snakes in India. It was described in 1797 by George Shaw and Frederick Polydore Nodder, and named af ...

, common krait, Indian python (''

''), checkered keelback, green whip snake, common Indian bronzeback, flying snake, wolf snake and trinket snake.

Wildlife Sanctuaries

Karnataka also has the following 19 wildlife sanctuaries: 1.

Kaveri Wildlife Sanctuary The Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in the Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Ramanagar districts of Karnataka, India. The Cauvery River passes through its midst. An area of was established as Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary on 14 Ja ...

- Cauvery wildlife division is spread over three districts, namely, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Ramanagara. The wildlife sanctuary was originally notified in 1987 with an area of about 510 Km². Subsequently it was expanded by adding more forest areas in stages, and its present extent is 1,027 Km². Cauvery wildlife division has two sub-divisions, namely, Hanur and Kanakapura sub-divisions, and consists of seven ranges, namely, Kothnur, Hanur, Cowdally, Gopinatham, Halagur, Sangam and Muggur ranges. The sanctuary provides a vital link between Bannerghatta National Park in the north and BRT Tiger Reserve and MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in the south. The area is drained by three rivers, namely, Cauvery, Arkavathi and Shimsha, along with their numerous rivulets. The forest is primarily of dry deciduous and scrub types, but a wide range of forest types including moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, evergreen, shola, riverine, Hardwickia forest, etc. are encountered at different altitudes. Important animals found in the sanctuary are tiger, elephant, leopard, bison, wild dog, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, sloth bear, wild boar, common langur, bonnet macaque, giant squirrel, honey badger (ratel), chevrotain, kollegal ground gecko, varieties of reptiles and birds and many. 2. Adichunchanagiri Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in

Mandya district Mandya District is an administrative district of Karnataka, India. The district is bordered on the south by Mysore and Chamarajangar districts, on the west by Hassan District, on the north by Tumkur District and on the east by Ramanagara di ...

and is spread over . This was created mainly for the conservation of peacocks. It also houses nearly 250 species of birds. 3. Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in

Mysore district Mysore district, officially Mysuru district is an administrative district located in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mysore division.Chamarajanagar District was carved out of the origi ...

and is spread over . This park consists of eucalyptus and sandalwood plantations. Leopard, fox and spotted deer are some of the animal species found here. Also around 230 species of birds have been observed here over the years. 4. Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in the

Chamarajanagar district Chamarajanagar or Chamarajanagara is the southernmost district in the state of Karnataka, India. It was carved out of the original larger Mysore District in 1998. Chamarajanagar town is the headquarters of this district. It is the third leas ...

and is spread over . Some of the species of flora found here are ''Anogeissus latifolia'', ''Grewia tilaefolia'' and ''Syzygium cumini''. Species of mammals include elephants, tigers, leopards, sloth bear, gaur, barking deer and sambar. Among the 215 species of birds found here include Nilgiri wood pigeon, Malabar whistling thrush, yellow-throated bulbul, peregrine falcon, rufous-bellied hawk-eagle. An endangered amphibian, ''Icthyophis ghytinosus'' has been reported in this sanctuary. 5.

Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area and tiger reserve as part of the Project Tiger, situated in Chikkamagaluru district, south of Bhadravathi city, 20 km from Tarikere town, northwest of Chikkamagaluru and 283 km from Bengaluru cit ...

: This is located between the Chikkamagaluru and

Shimoga Shimoga, officially known as Shivamogga, is a city and the district headquarters of Shimoga district in the central part of the state of Karnataka, India. The city lies on the banks of the Tunga River. Being the gateway for the hilly region of ...

districts and is spread over . Common species of flora include ''Lagerstromia lanceolata'', ''Adina cordifolia'' and ''Careya arborea''. Mammals include tiger, leopard, elephant, gaur, slender loris and pangolin. Among the bird species found here are ruby-throated bulbul, shama, Malabar whistling thrush and paradise flycatcher. 6. Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in

Kodagu Kodagu (also known by its former name Coorg) is an administrative district in the Karnataka state of India. Before 1956, it was an administratively separate Coorg State, at which point it was merged into an enlarged Mysore State. It occupies ...

district and is spread over an area of . The evergreen forests in this sanctuary include species like ''Cinnamomum zeylancium'', ''Cedrela toona'' and ''Alstonia scholaris''. Bamboos are dominant here and include species like ''Bambusa bambos'' and ''Dendrocalamus strictus''. Mammals include elephant, gaur, tiger, jungle cat, bonnet macaque and Nilgiri marten. Also around 300 species of birds have been observed here over the year kaveri Wildlife Sanctuary: It is spread across the districts of

Bangalore Bangalore (), List of renamed places in India, officially Bengaluru (), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan area, metropolitan population of a ...

Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

and

Mandya Mandya is a city in the state of Karnataka. It is the headquarter of Mandya district and is located from Mysore and from Bangalore. Sugar factories contribute to the major economic output. It is also called Sugar city (which in Kannada mean ...

and is spread over . Dry deciduous trees found in this park include species like ''Terminalia arjuna'' and ''Syzgium cumini''. Animal species found in this park include leopard, elephant, sambar and common otter. This is also one of the last refuge of the highly endangered grizzled giant squirrel in Karnataka. Also around 300 species of birds have been observed here over the years. This sanctuary is also famous for mahseer fish ('' Tor'' species). 7.

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is located at in Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka state in India. The sanctuary covers an area of . around the city of Dandeli. Along with neighboring Anshi National Park (), the sanctuary was declared part of th ...

: This is located in

district and is spread over . Common tree species found here are ''

Dalbergia latifolia ''Dalbergia latifolia'' (synonym ''Dalbergia emarginata'') is a premier timber species, also known as the Indian rosewood ( Tamil / தமிழ்: Eetti / ஈட்டி). It is native to low-elevation tropical monsoon forests of south east ...

'', ''Terminalia paniculata'', T. Tomentosa and Vitex altissima. Mammal species include elephant, gaur, wild boar, slender loris, Malabar giant squirrel and barking deer. 8. Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary: This is located in Bellary district and is spread over . This sanctuary was mainly created for the conservation of sloth bears. 9. Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary: Spread over 906 square kilometers (349.8 sq mi), MM Hills wildlife sanctuary came to being on 7 May 2013. Contiguous with BRT Tiger Reserve and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, the sanctuary boasts of tiger, elephant, leopard, dhole, sambar, barking deer and others. The sanctuary is located in Chamarajanagar district, Kollegala taluk. 10. Melukote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in

and is spread over . An endangered species of flora, ''Cycas circinalis'' is found here. Mammal species include wolf, leopard, blackbuck and pangolin. Also around 230 species of birds have been observed here over the years. 11.

Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected wildlife sanctuary in the southern state of Karnataka in India. It derives its name from the presiding deity " Goddess Mookambika" of the popular Kollur Mookambika Temple. The sanctuary lies in the W ...

: This is located in

Udupi district Udupi district (also Udipi or Odipu in Tulu language) is an administrative subdivision in the Karnataka state of India, with the district headquarters in the city of Udupi. It is situated in the Canara coastal region, there are seven talu ...

and is spread over . Some of the tree species found here are ''Dipterocarpus indicus'', ''Calophyllum tomentosum'' and ''Hopea parviflora''. An endangered species of climber '' Coscinium fenestratum'' has been recorded here. Slender loris, lion-tailed macaque, sambar and chital are some of the animals found here. The endangered cane turtle is also found here. 12. Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in

and is spread over . Common species of flora include ''Emblica officinalis'', ''Santalum album'' and ''Dendrocalamus strictus''. Mammals include elephant, gaur, leopard, spotted deer and common palm civet. 13. Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in

district and is spread over . Some species of flora found here are ''

Hopea parviflora ''Hopea parviflora'' is a species of plant in the family Dipterocarpaceae. It is endemic to India. It is called 'kampakam' or 'thampakam' in Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian st ...

'', ''Schefflera capitata'', ''Xanthalis tomentosa'' and ''Ochlandra rheedii''. Mammals include elephant, tiger, slender loris, Nilgiri marten and bonnet macaque. Also around 230 species of birds have been observed here over the years. Bird species include great pied hornbill, Malabar trogon and Nilgiri blackbird. 14. Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary: This is located in Haveri district and is spread over . Eucalyptus is the dominant species of trees found here. ''

Cassia fistula ''Cassia fistula'', commonly known as golden shower, purging cassia, Indian laburnum, or pudding-pipe tree,U. S. Department of Agriculture, William Saunders; Catalogue of Economic Plants in the Collection of the U. S. Department of Agriculture; ...

'', '' Prosopsis juliflora'' and '' Zizyphus mauritania'' are other tree species found here. This sanctuary was created mainly for the conservation of blackbucks. This sanctuary is also a habitat for the endangered

great Indian bustard The great Indian bustard (''Ardeotis nigriceps'') or Indian bustard, is a bustard found on the Indian subcontinent. A large bird with a horizontal body and long bare legs, giving it an ostrich like appearance, this bird is among the heaviest of t ...

. 15. Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in

Shimoga district Shimoga district, officially known as Shivamogga district, is a district in the Karnataka state of India. A major part of Shimoga district lies in the Malnad region or the Sahyadri. Shimoga city is its administrative centre. Jog Falls view ...

and is spread over . '' Dipterocarpus indicus'', '' Caryota urens'' and '' Dillenia pentagyna'' are some of the species of plants found here. Tiger, leopard, mouse deer, bonnet macaque and common langoor are some of the animal species found here. Snakes are commonly found here. Paradise flycatcher, racket-tailed drongo and blue-throated barbet are some of the bird species found here. 16. Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in

and is spread over . ''

'', '' Kydia calycina'' and ''

Wrightia tinctoria ''Wrightia tinctoria'', Pala indigo plant or dyer's oleander, is a flowering plant species in the genus ''Wrightia'' found in India, southeast Asia and Australia. It is found in dry and moist regions in its distribution. Various parts of the plan ...

'' are some of the species of plants found here. Tiger, leopard, bonnet macaque and Malabar giant squirrel are some of the animal species found here. 17.

Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected wildlife sanctuary in the Western Ghats of Karnataka state in India. It is named after the presiding deity "Lord Someshwara" of the famed Someshwara temple located within the sanctuary. The sanctuary ...

: This is located in

and is spread over . '' Machilus macrantha'', '' Lophopetalum wightanium'' and ''

Artocarpus hirsuta ''Artocarpus hirsutus'', commonly known as wild jack, is a tropical evergreen tree species that is native to India, primarily in Kerala, but also in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, where it prefers moist, deciduous to partially evergreen ...

'' are some of the species of plants found here. Tiger, leopard, lion-tailed macaque and spotted deer are some of the animal species found here. 18. Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Kodagu district and is spread over . ''

Albizzia lebbek ''Albizia lebbeck'' is a species of ''Albizia'', native to Indomalaya, New Guinea and Northern AustraliaUSDA (1994) and widely cultivated and naturalised in other tropical and subtropical regions. English names for it include Sirisa, Siris, lebbe ...

'', ''

Artocarpus lakoocha ''Artocarpus lacucha'', also known as monkey jack or monkey fruit, is a tropical evergreen tree species of the family Moraceae. It is distributed throughout the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The tree is valued for its wood; its fruit ...

'', '' Dysoxylum malabaricum'' and ''

'' are some of the species of plants found here. Clawless otter, elephant, tiger, striped-necked mongoose and mouse deer are some of the animal species found here. Also around 300 species of birds have been observed here over the years. Fairy bluebird, Malabar trogon and broadbill roller are some of the avian species found. 19.

Tungabhadra Otter Conservation Reserve Tungabhadra Otter Conservation Reserve is the first otter conservation reserve in India, located near Hampi. This is a stretch along Tungabhadra River. The area is well known for smooth-coated otter The smooth-coated otter (''Lutrogale perspi ...

is the countries first otter conservation reserve near

Hampi Hampi or Hampe, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Hampi town, Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India. Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th&n ...

Bird sanctuaries

Painted Stork pair at Ranganathittu bird sanctuary

# Attiveri Bird Sanctuary: This is located in

district and is spread over 2.23 km². white ibis, little cormorant, pied kingfisher, common grey hornbill are some of the bird species found here. # Gudavi Bird Sanctuary: This is located in

and is spread over 0.73 km². The tree species that dominate this sanctuary are ''Vitex leucoxylon'' and ''Phyllanthus polyphyllus''. 191 species of birds are recorded here including white ibis, pheasant-tailed jacana, purple moorhen and little grebe. #

Ranganathittu Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary (also known as ''Pakshi Kashi of Karnataka''), is a bird sanctuary in the Mandya District of the state of Karnataka in India. It is the largest bird sanctuary in the state, in area, and comprises six islets on the b ...

Bird Sanctuary: This is located in

and is spread over 0.67 km². Among the tree species found here, is the unique ''Iphigenia mysorensis''. Other tree species include ''Derris indica'' and ''Barringtonia racemosa''. This sanctuary houses nearly 170 birds. Birds like cormorants, darter, white ibis, great stone plover, cliff swallow, spoonbills, lesser whistling teal roost here all through the year. # Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary: It is located near the little village Mandagadde which is 30 km from the

town and is based on a small island on the

Tunga River The Tunga River (alternatively spelled Thunga) is a river in Karnataka state, southern India. The river is born in the Western Ghats on a hill known as ''Varaha Parvata'' at a place called '' Gangamoola''. From here, the river flows through two ...

. It is mainly visited by migratory birds like median egret ('' Egretta intermedia''), the little cormorant ('' Microcarbo niger''), and the darter or snake bird (''Aninga nufa'').A brief overview of Mandagadde bird sanctuary is provided by # Kaggaladu Heronry: This is located in Tumkur district and is one of the largest painted stork sanctuaries in South India. Some of the birds that nest here are painted storks, grey herons, pelicans, black stilts and ducks. #

Kokrebellur Kokkarebellur, usually shortened by the colloquial usage to Kokrebellur is a village in Maddur taluk of Mandya district of Karnataka, India. The village is named after the painted stork (''Mycteria leucocephala''), which is called "kokkare" in ...

Pelicanry: This is located in the town of Kokkare Bellur in

and is a haven for avian species like grey or spot-billed pelican (''Pelecanus philippensis'') and painted stork (''Mycteria leucocephala''). In fact the word ''Kokkare'' means stork in the

Kannada Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...

language. Apart from pelicans and storks, 250 species of birds have been sighted here.A description of Kokkare Bellur has been provided by # Magadi Bird Sanctuary: Magadi Bird Sanctuary created at the Magadi tank, in Magadi village of Shirahatti Taluk,

Gadag district Gadag is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. It was formed in 1997, when it was split from Dharwad district. As of 2011, it had a population of 1064570 (of which 35.21 percent was urban). The overall population increased by 13.14 perc ...

. It is one of the Biodiversity hotspots of Karnataka, in North Karnataka. From Gadag it is 26 km, it is located on Gadag-Bangalore Road, from Shirahatti it is 8 km, and from Lakshmeshwara 11 km. Bar-headed goose is one of the bird migrates to Magadi wetlands of Gadag district. Normally birds eat fish, amphibians, molluscs, snakes etc., but migratory birds eating agricultural produce is both interesting and curious too. Winter habitat is on cultivation, it feeds on barley, rice and wheat and damage crops. # Bankapura Peacock Sanctuary: This is located in Haveri district and spread over an area of . This sanctuary was created mainly for the conservation of peacocks. # Bonal Bird Sanctuary : This is located about 10 km from Shorapur city in Yadgir district. #

Ramadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary Ramadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary in Karnataka India, aimed for the protection of vultures. Established in 2012, it is the first Vulture Sanctuary in India. Of the nine vulture species found in India, three species, long-bi ...

: This is located in

Ramanagara Ramanagara is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is also the headquarters of Ramanagara district. It is approximately 50 kilometres from Bangalore. There are buses and trains as public transportations which approximately takes 90 minute ...

and is home of the critically endangered Long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus). # Ghataprabha Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Belgaum district and is spread over . This sanctuary is known for migratory birds like Demoiselle crane and European white stork.

Dangers to flora and fauna

Due to various issues, flora and fauna in some parts of Karnataka are being threatened. These issues include poaching, human–wildlife conflict,

habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

, pollution and introduction of invasive new species.

Poaching

Despite the best efforts of conservation activists,

poaching Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...

remains one of the serious problems affecting the flora and fauna in the state. Between the years 1997-2001, a total of 98 elephants have succumbed to poaching in Karnataka.A report on the environment of Karnataka and action plan thereof is discussed by Poaching has also affected the breeding of turtles like

olive ridley The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...

on the beaches of

as well as

otters Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weas ...

on the river banks. Tigers are also another species that are threatened to extinction by poachers.Poaching of a tiger in Nagarhole National Park is mentioned by

Sandalwood Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus ''Santalum''. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods for us ...

, famed for its sculptures and its aroma is frequently poached out of the forests of Karnataka. Teakwood, famed for the furniture is another species of flora affected by this problem. Staff-shortage, lack of adequate funds and unscientific anti-poaching camps are some of the reasons quoted for continued poaching activities.

Habitat destruction

Some of the activities that are causing a destruction of habitat of flora and fauna in Karnataka are: * Construction of

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

s and

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

s: Construction of dams causes widespread flooding of surrounding areas causing destruction of species that inhabit the area. They also affect the flow of riverine species like fishes and disrupt their normal habits. An example is the construction of the Linganamakki reservoir in

that caused the extinction of the grass, ''Hubbardia heptaneuron''. * Destruction of forest land for agriculture and other purposes: large tracts of forest land have been cleaned up for

monoculture In agriculture, monoculture is the practice of growing one crop species in a field at a time. Monoculture is widely used in intensive farming and in organic farming: both a 1,000-hectare/acre cornfield and a 10-ha/acre field of organic kale are ...

plantations like teak, coffee and rubber. This has led to the destruction of species that were dependent on the forest. An example of this is loss of special habitats in Karnataka such as ''Myristica'' swamps and high altitude grasslands. In the dry zone, they have adversely affected several species dependent on large tracts of scrub such as the wolf and the

. *

Mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic ...

operations: Mining operations clear out large areas of land and cause destruction to the species dependent on them. An example is the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited which mined iron ore within the boundaries of the protected

Kudremukh National Park Kudremukha(ಕುದುರೆ ಮುಖ) is a mountain range and name of a peak located in Chikkamagaluru district, in Karnataka, India. It is also the name of a small hill station iron ore mining town situated near the mountain, about 20 kil ...

.A brief description of mining at

is provided by

Human–wildlife conflict

Due to the loss of habitat, more and more species of fauna have started to venture into human habitation causing a conflict between humans and fauna. A typical species affected by this is the elephant which ventures out of the forest into human cultivations thereby eating or destroying the crops. In some cases, the elephants have also caused human deaths like an incident that happened in Hassan district where a villager was trampled to death.Destruction caused by elephants in Hassan district is mentioned by Precautionary measures (sometimes illegally) taken up by humans to prevent such mishaps like electric fencing have also led to disastrous consequences like

electrocution Electrocution is death or severe injury caused by electric shock from electric current passing through the body. The word is derived from "electro" and "execution", but it is also used for accidental death. The term "electrocution" was coine ...

of fauna.Electrocution of an elephant in

is mentioned by

Pollution

Release of industrial waste and human effluents into rivers have caused significant damages to species that reside in rivers and riverbanks. Air pollution is also a significant cause of concern in metros like Bangalore where it has been found that air pollution is discolouring foliage including those of ornamental plants.Air pollution in Bangalore discolouring plants in mentioned by A comparison of the lichen flora of the garden

Lal Bagh Lalbagh Botanical Garden or simply Lalbagh (), is an botanical garden in Bangalore, India, with an over 200-year history. First planned and laid out during the dalavaiship of Hyder Ali and later managed under numerous British Superintendents ...

has revealed that 18 of the 22 species noted in 1980 were no longer present in 1997. Pollution in rivers like Kabini,

Kaveri The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name) is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri (hill), Karnataka, Brahmagiri range in th ...

and

Ghataprabha Ghataprabha is a village in the southern state of Karnataka, in north Karnataka India.Village code= 47500 It is located in the Gokak taluk of Belgaum district in Karnataka. Demographics As of the 2001 India census, Ghataprabha had a popul ...

has caused sharp reduction in populations of bird species, including beneficial insectivorous birds like drongos, as well as honeybees.

Invasive new species

Introduction of new species into a habitat has caused serious consequences to the existing species of flora and fauna. A typical example is the introduction of the African

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive ...

('' Clarias gariepinus'') in the lakes and rivers of Karnataka. This is a carnivorous fish and has caused serious damage to the indigenous fauna living in those lakes and rivers. Weeds like ''

Eupatorium ''Eupatorium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, containing from 36 to 60 species depending on the classification system. Most are herbaceous perennials growing to tall. A few are shrubs. The genus is native to temperat ...

'', ''

Lantana ''Lantana'' () is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in ...

'' and '' Parthenium'' have invaded large tracts of land causing destruction. An increase in ''Eupatorium'' is attributed as one of the causes for the spread of the deadly Kyasanur forest disease (which has a morbidity rate of 10%) among humans since it harbors tick populations that are vectors for this disease. ''

'' plantations in the Ranibennur

blackbuck The blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''), also known as the Indian antelope, is an antelope native to India and Nepal. It inhabits grassy plains and lightly forested areas with perennial water sources. It stands up to high at the shoulder. Ma ...

sanctuary have seriously harmed the extremely rare

Conservation efforts

Various conservation activities are in progress to protect the biodiversity present in Karnataka. These activities are mostly done by the Forest Department of the State of Karnataka and other voluntary organisations.

Relocation of human population

The presence of human habitation within the core area of reserved forests poses many problems like human–wildlife conflict and destruction of habitat due to agriculture and cattle grazing. Systematic efforts have been made to relocate some of this population into proper zones outside the protected area. An example is the relocation of some villagers from Bhagawathi and Nassehalla habitations within the Kudremukh National Park to safer regions outside it.Relocation of villagers from Kudremukh National Park has been mentioned by

Usage of technology

New scientific methods are being used to protect the flora and fauna. Some of these are: * Usage of satellites to detect forest fires so that they can easily be extinguished.Using satellites for detecting forest fires in Karnataka is mentioned by * Radio tracking of animals and usage of techniques like remote camera sampling to estimate the animal population.Some conservation methods being used in Karnataka to protect flora and fauna are mentioned by * Installation of wireless stations and using wireless sets for easy communication among individuals involved in field trips and anti-poaching activities.

Staff empowerment

It is highly important to keep up the morale of forest wardens and other staff members involved in anti-poaching activities and field trips. It is also necessary to keep them up-to-date on the technology and wildlife related laws. The following steps were implemented to address this issue: * Field kits were provided to the staff consisting of boots, rain gear and uniforms. * Conservation related award programs were announced to boost the morale of the staff. * Training programs were undertaken for the staff in the use of firearms against poachers, field craft and Indian wildlife laws

Recently discovered species

Many areas of Karnataka, especially in the forests of

Malnad Malnad (; Malēnādu) is a region in the state of Karnataka in India. Malenadu covers the western and eastern slopes of the Western Ghats or Sahyadri mountain range, and is roughly 100 kilometers in width. Malnadis a region of Karnataka ...

region are unexplored and new species of flora and fauna are discovered periodically. Some of the new species of flora discovered in Karnataka include ''Paracautleya bhatii'' (a ginger) and ''Isachne veldkampii'' (a grass), both of which were discovered near

Manipal Manipal is a suburb and university town within Udupi, in coastal Karnataka, India. Manipal is located five kilometres away from the centre of Udupi City, in Udupi District, Karnataka (state) in south western India. It is administered by the Udup ...

.Discovery of Isoetes udupiensis has been mentioned by Two species of algae, ''Cosmarium bourrellyi'' and ''Cosmarium desikacharyi'' were discovered in a paddy field in Belgaum.Discovery of new algae species is mentioned by Other new species of flora discovered in Karnataka include ''Isoetes udupiensis'' (a pteridophyte) and ''Pisolithus indicus'' (a

fungus A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from t ...

). Some of the new species of fauna discovered include two species of ants, '' Dilobocondyla bangalorica'' which was discovered on the campus of

Indian Institute of Science The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is a public, deemed, research university for higher education and research in science, engineering, design, and management. It is located in Bengaluru, in the Indian state of Karnataka. The institute was ...

Discovery of a new species of ant in the IISc campus, Bangalore is discussed by and ''

Discothyrea ''Discothyrea'' is a genus of small ants in the subfamily Proceratiinae. The genus is distributed in the tropics and subtropics throughout the world, where they usually nest in rotten wood, in the leaf litter, or under stones. Little is known abo ...

sringerensis'' which was discovered near Sringeri.Discovery of a new species of ant in Sringeri is discussed by Three new species of frogs; ''

Philautus ''Philautus'' is a genus of shrub frogs in the family Rhacophoridae from Asia. Some species in this genus are now considered extinct by IUCN, while others are widespread and abundant (such as the recently described ''P. abundus'', which was spec ...

luteolus'', ''

tuberohumerus'' and '' Nyctibatrachus petraeus'' have been discovered in Karnataka. Explorations in the Sharavathi river have yielded new fish species like '' Batasio sharavatiensis''Discovery of ''Batasio sharavatiensis'' has been mentioned by (a

bagrid catfish The Bagridae are a family of catfish that are native to Africa ('' Bagrus'') and Asia (all other genera) from Japan to Borneo. It includes about 245 species. These fish are commonly known as naked catfishes or bagrid catfishes. Many large bagri ...

), '' Schistura nagodiensis''Details regarding new fishes of genus Schistura found in Sharavathi river is provided by and '' Schistura sharavathiensis''. Another fish species, '' Puntius coorgensis''Details regarding ''Puntius coorgensis'' is provided by has been discovered near

Bhagamandala Bhagamandala is a pilgrimage place in Kodagu district of the Indian state of Karnataka. Location Bhagamandala is situated on the river Kaveri in its upstream stretches. At this place, the Kaveri is joined by two tributaries, the Kannike and ...

in the

river. Some other species of fauna discovered in Karnataka include two species of whiteflies, '' Distinctaleyrodes setosus''Discovery of a new genus and species of whitefly is discussed by and '' Aleurocanthus arecae''Discovery of a whitefly in areca plantations is discussed by and a

caecilian Caecilians (; ) are a group of limbless, vermiform or serpentine amphibians. They mostly live hidden in the ground and in stream substrates, making them the least familiar order of amphibians. Caecilians are mostly distributed in the tropics o ...

, '' Gegeneophis madhavai''.Discovery of a caecilian has been discussed by Explorations in the soil around the Linganamakki reservoir has revealed eleven new species of

earthworm An earthworm is a terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. They exhibit a tube-within-a-tube body plan; they are externally segmented with corresponding internal segmentation; and they usually have setae on all segments. T ...

s.Discovery of new species of earthworms is mentioned by

Endangered species

Karnataka is the home of few critically endangered species of flora that include

trees like '' Dipterocarpus bourdilloni'', '' Hopea erosa'' and '' Hopea jacobi'', '' Croton lawianus'' (a small tree) and ''Pinnatella limbata'' (a type of moss). Some of the critically endangered species of fauna found in Karnataka include '' Gyps indicus'' (the Indian vulture) and two species of frogs, '' Indirana gundia'' (found only in Gundia range,

Sakleshpur Sakleshpur, Sakleshpura or Sakleshapura is a hill station town and headquarters of Sakleshpur taluk in Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Economy The town lies in the Malnad region on the hills of the biodiversity hotspot, the ...

) and '' Micrixalus kottigeharensis'' (found only near

Kottigehara {{Infobox settlement , name = Kottigehara , other_name = , nickname = , settlement_type = Village , image_skyline = File:Kottigehara 2018.jpg , image_alt = , ...

, Chikkamagaluru district). Some of the endangered species of flora include evergreen trees like ''

Cynometra ''Cynometra'' is genus of tropical forest trees with a pantropical distribution. It is particularly important as a forest component in west Africa and the neotropics. '' Cynometra alexandri'' (muhimbi) is a familiar timber tree of central and ea ...

bourdillonii'', '' Cynometra travancorica'', '' Hopea glabra'', ''

'', '' Hopea ponga'', '' Hopea racophloea'', '' Hopea wightiana'', '' Shorea roxburghii'' and '' Tarenna agumbensis'' and flowering plants like '' Glochidion pauciflorum'', '' Glochidion tomentosum'', '' Ixora lawsoni'' and '' Syzygium stocksii''. Other endangered trees found in Karnataka include '' Isonandra stocksii'', '' Kingiodendron pinnatum'', '' Maesa velutina'', '' Myristica magnifica'', '' Rapanea striata'' and '' Xylosma latifolia''. Endangered species of fauna found in Karnataka include the

, lion-tailed macaque,

olive ridley turtle The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...

and

, the Indian wild dog. Many endangered species of amphibians are found here including frogs, '' Indirana brachytarsus'', ''

Microhyla sholigari ''Microhyla sholigari'' is a species of microhylid frog endemic to southern India. It was described from the Biligirirangan Hills in Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka and is named after the Soliga tribal people living in the forests in and ...

'', '' Minervarya sahyadris'', '' Nyctibatrachus aliciae'', '' Nyctibatrachus hussaini'', '' Nyctibatrachus sanctipalustris'', '' Philautus charius'', '' Philautus wynaadensis'', '' Ramanella mormorata'' and '' Rhacophorus lateralis'' and a toad, '' Bufo beddomii''. Other endangered species of fauna include '' Hipposideros hypophyllus'' (the

Kolar Kolar or Kolara is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Kolar district. The city is known for its milk production and gold mines. It is also known for Someshwara temple and Kolaramma temple. History The Wes ...

leaf-nosed bat) and '' Pseudomulleria dalyi'' (a mollusc).

References

External links

Floral resources of Karnataka: A geographic perspective.

Natural history of southern Karnataka: Ornithological perspective.

Google Map showing wildlife of Karnataka
{{Karnataka topics

Environment of Karnataka Tourism in Karnataka