Wildlife sanctuaries in Karnataka

The Great Indian Hornbill (Buceros bicornis), found in the forests of Karnataka

Spot-billed Pelican, (Pelecanus philippensis), a bird found in the bird sanctuaries of Karnataka

Rufous Babbler (Turdoides subrufus) at Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary Karnataka also has the following 18 wildlife sanctuaries: Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary: This is located in Mandya district and is spread over 0.88 km. This was created mainly for the conservation of peacocks. Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Mysore district and is spread over 13.5 km. This park consists of eucalyptus and sandalwood plantations. Leopard, fox and spotted deer are some of the animal species found here. Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in the Chamarajanagar district and is spread over 539.58 km. 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, rufousbellied hawk eagle. An endangered amphibian, Icthyophis ghytinosus' has been reported in this sanctuary.

Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located between the Chikkamagaluru and Shimoga districts and is spread over 492.46 km. 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 rubythroated bulbul, shama, Malabar whistling thrush and paradise flycatcher. Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Kodagu district and is spread over an area of 181.80 km. 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[5]. Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary: It is spread across the districts of Bangalore, Mysore and Mandya and is spread over 102.59 km. 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. Bird species include grrn billed malkoha, whitebrowed bulbul and pygmy woodpecker. This sanctuary is also famous for mahseer fish (Tor sp.). Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Uttara Kannada district and is spread over 475.02 km. Common tree species found here are Dalbergia latifolia, Terminalia paniculata, T. Tomentosa and vitex altissima. Mammal species include elephant, gaur, wild pig, slender loris, Malabar giant squirrel and barking deer. Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary: This is located in Bellary district and is spread over 55.87 km. This sanctuary was mainly created for the preservation of sloth bears. Ghataprabha Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Belgaum district and is spread over 20.78 km. This sanctuary is known for migratory birds like demoiselle crane and European white stork.

Melukote Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Mandya district and is spread over 45.82 km. An endangered species of flora, Cycas circinalis is found here. Mammal species include wolf, leopard, blackbuck and pangolin. Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Udupi district and is spread over 247 km. 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. Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Mysore district and is spread over 30.32 km. Common species of flora include Emblica officinalis, Santalum album and Dendrocalamus strictus. Mammals include elephant, gaur, leopard, spotted deer and common palm civet. Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Kodagu district and is spread over 102.59 km. Some species of flora found here are Hopea parviflora, Schefflera capitata, Xanthalis tomentosa and Ochlandra rheedii. Mammals include elephant, tiger, slender loris, Nilgiri marten and bonnet macaque. Bird species include Great pied hornbill, Malabar trogon and Nilgiri blackbird. Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary: This is located in Dharwad district and is spread over 119.00 km. Eucalyptus are the dominant species of trees found here. Cassia fistula, Prosopsis julifora and Zizyhus 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. Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Shimoga district and is spread over 431.23 km. Dipterocarpus indicus, Caryota urens and Dillenia pentagyna are some of the species of flora found here. Tiger, leopard, mouse deer, bonnet macaque and common langur are some of the animal species found here. Snakes are commonly found here. Paradise flycatcher, rackettailed drongo and bluethroated barbet are some of the bird species found here.

Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Shimoga district and is spread over 395.60 km. Cassia fistula, Kydia calycina and Wrightia tinctoria are some of the species of flora found here. Tiger, leopard, bonnet macaque and Malabar giant squirrel are some of the animal species found here. Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Udupi district and is spread over 88.40 km. Machilus Macrantha, Lophopetalum wightanium and Artocarpus hirsuta are some of the species of flora found here. Tiger, leopard, lion-tailed macaque and spotted deer are some of the animal species found here. Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in Kodagu district and is spread over 105.00 km. Albizzia lebbek, Artocarpus lakoocha, Dysoxylum malabaricum and Mesua ferrea' are some of the species of flora found here. Clawless otter, elephant, tiger, striped necked mongoose and mouse deer are some of the animal species found here. Fairy bluebird, Malabar trogon and broadbiller roller are some of the avian species found. [edit] Bird sanctuaries

Pair of Painted storks (Mycteria leucocephala) in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Pied Kingfisher, (Ceryle rudis), as seen in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary Attiveri Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Uttara Kannada district and is spread over 2.23 km. White ibis, little cormorant, pied kingfisher, common grey hornbill are some of the bird species found here. Gudavi Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Shimoga district and is spread over 0.73 km. 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, purplr moorhen and little grebe. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Mysore district and is spread over 0.67 km. Among the tree species found here, is the unique Iphigenia mysorensis. Other tree species include Derris indica and Barringtonia racemosa. This sanctuary is a haven for birds like cormorants, darter, white ibis, great stone plover, cliff swallow, spoonbills, lesser whistling teal and kingfishers. Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Shimoga district and is based on a small island on the Tunga river. It is mainly visited by migratory birds like Median Egret (Egretta Intermedia), the Little Cormonant (Phalacrocoorax Niger), and the Darter or Snake Bird (Aninga nufa).[6] Kaggaladu Heronry: This is located in Tumkur district and is one of the largest painted storks sanctuary in South India. Some of the birds that nest here are painted storks, grey herons, pelicans, black stilts and ducks. Kokkare Bellur Pelicanry: This is located in the town of Kokkare Bellur in Mandya district 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 language. Apart from pelicans and storks, 141 species of birds have been sighted here.[7]

Magadi Bird Sanctuary : Magadi Bird Sanctuary created at The Magadi tank, It is one of the Biodiversity hotspots of Karnataka, in North Karnataka.

The Magadi tank is located in Magadi village of Shirhatti Taluk, Gadag District. From Gadag it is 26 km, it is located on Gadag-Bangalore Road, from Shirhatti it is 8 km, and from Lakshmeshwar 11 km. Bar headed goose : is one of the bird migrates to Magadi wetlands of Gadag District, North Karnataka. 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 139.10 acres (0.5629 km2). This sanctuary was created mainly for the conservation of peacocks. Bonal Bird sanctuary: This is located in (Gulbarga District)near Surpur about 180 km from Gulbarga city.