Wildlife of Karnataka

Updated 2026-07-28

The state of Karnataka in South India has a rich diversity of flora and fauna. It has a recorded forest area of 38,720 km², which constitutes approximately 20% of the total geographical area of the state. These forests support about 25% of India's elephant population and around 10–20% of India's tiger population. Many regions of Karnataka remain unexplored, and new species of flora and fauna continue to be discovered.

The mountains of the Western Ghats in the western region of Karnataka are a biodiversity hotspot. Two sub-clusters of the Western Ghats, Talacauvery and Kudremukh, are on a tentative list of sites that could be designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The Bandipur and Nagarahole National Parks were included in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986, a UNESCO designation. In the Biligiriranga Hills, the Eastern Ghats meet the Western Ghats.

The state bird and state animal of Karnataka are the Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis) and the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus), respectively. The state tree and state flower are sandalwood (Santalum album) and the lotus.

National Parks

Karnataka has several national parks, including:

Anshi National Park – Located in Uttara Kannada district, covering 250 km². Contains semi-evergreen and evergreen forests. Fauna includes Indian elephant, gaur, Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, sloth bear, Malabar giant squirrel, king cobra, and great hornbill.
Bandipur National Park – Located in Chamarajanagar district, covering over 800 km². One of India's first tiger reserves under Project Tiger (1973). Habitats range from scrub jungles to tropical mixed deciduous forests. Fauna includes Bengal tiger, Indian elephant, gaur, sambar, chital, dhole, sloth bear, and over 230 bird species.
Bannerghatta National Park – Located in Bengaluru urban district, covering 260.51 km². Dry deciduous forests and thorny shrubs. Fauna includes Indian leopard, gaur, Indian elephant, sloth bear, and sambar.
Kudremukh National Park – Spread over 600.32 km² across Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Chikmagalur districts. Mostly evergreen and semi-evergreen forests with shola grassland above 1,400 m. Fauna includes Bengal tiger, lion-tailed macaque, gaur, Malabar giant squirrel, and Malabar trogon.
Nagarahole National Park – Also known as Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) National Park, covering about 575 km². Forests dominated by teak and rosewood. Fauna includes Indian elephant, gaur, Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, dhole, sloth bear, and over 300 bird species.

Wildlife Sanctuaries

Karnataka has 19 wildlife sanctuaries, including:

Kaveri Wildlife Sanctuary – Spread over 1,027 km² across Chamarajanagar, Mandya, and Ramanagara districts. Provides a vital link between Bannerghatta National Park and BRT Tiger Reserve.
Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary – 492.46 km² between Chikkamagaluru and Shimoga districts.
Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary – 539.58 km² in Chamarajanagar district.
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary – 475.02 km² in Uttara Kannada district.
Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary – 82.72 km² in Bellary district, created mainly for sloth bear conservation.
Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary – 119 km² in Haveri district, created for blackbuck conservation and also habitat for the endangered great Indian bustard.
Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary – 102.59 km² in Kodagu district.
Sharavathi LTM Wildlife Sanctuary – 431.23 km² in Shimoga district.
Tungabhadra Otter Conservation Reserve – India's first otter conservation reserve, near Hampi.

Bird Sanctuaries

Notable bird sanctuaries include:

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary – 0.67 km² in Mandya district, housing nearly 170 bird species including cormorants, darters, white ibis, spoonbills, and lesser whistling teal.
Gudavi Bird Sanctuary – 0.73 km² in Shimoga district, with 191 recorded bird species.
Attiveri Bird Sanctuary – 2.23 km² in Uttara Kannada district.
Kokrebellur Pelicanry – In Mandya district, a haven for spot-billed pelicans and painted storks.
Bankapura Peacock Sanctuary – 139.10 acres in Haveri district, created for peacock conservation.
Ramadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary – In Ramanagara, home to the critically endangered long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus).
Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary – A small island on the Tunga River in Shimoga district, visited by migratory birds.

Threats to Flora and Fauna

Flora and fauna in Karnataka face several threats:

Poaching – Between 1997 and 2001, 98 elephants were poached in Karnataka. Tigers, sandalwood, and teakwood are also targeted.
Habitat destruction – Caused by dam and reservoir construction, deforestation for agriculture and monoculture plantations (teak, coffee, rubber), and mining operations (e.g., Kudremukh Iron Ore Company mining within Kudremukh National Park).
Human–wildlife conflict – Elephants venturing into human settlements cause crop damage and occasional fatalities.
Pollution – Industrial waste and human effluents in rivers have damaged aquatic species. Air pollution in Bangalore has affected lichen and plant life.
Invasive species – The African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) has caused damage to indigenous fish. Weeds such as Eupatorium, Lantana, and Parthenium have invaded large areas.

Conservation Efforts

Conservation activities are carried out by the Karnataka Forest Department and voluntary organizations. Efforts include relocation of human populations from core forest areas, use of satellite technology for forest fire detection, radio tracking of animals, remote camera sampling for population estimates, and staff training in anti-poaching measures and wildlife laws.

Recently Discovered Species

New species continue to be discovered in Karnataka, including plants such as Paracautleya bhatii (a ginger), Isachne veldkampii (a grass), and Isoetes udupiensis (a pteridophyte); animals such as the ants Dilobocondyla bangalorica and Discothyrea sringerensis; frogs including Philautus luteolus, Philautus tuberohumerus, and Nyctibatrachus petraeus; and fish such as Batasio sharavatiensis, Schistura nagodiensis, and Schistura sharavathiensis.

Endangered Species

Critically endangered flora includes Dipterocarpus bourdilloni, Hopea erosa, Hopea jacobi, and Croton lawianus. Critically endangered fauna includes the Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) and the frogs Indirana gundia and Micrixalus kottigeharensis. Endangered fauna includes the Bengal tiger, Indian elephant, lion-tailed macaque, olive ridley turtle, dhole, and the Kolar leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros hypophyllus).