Editing Karnataka (section)

=== Flora and fauna ===
{{Main|Wildlife of Karnataka}}
[[File:Coraciasbenghalensis.jpg|thumb|left|upright|alt=Photo of olive-winged bird with sky-blue head/vest.|The state bird, [[Indian roller]]]]
[[File:Tigers at the water hole.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Bengal tiger]]s at [[Bannerghatta National Park]] near Bengaluru]]

Karnataka is home to a variety of wildlife. It has a recorded forest area of {{cvt|38720|km2|sqmi|0}} which constitutes 12.3% of the total geographical area of the state.<ref name="forestdept">Statistics related to forests in Karnataka is provided by {{cite web |title=Statistics |url=http://karnatakaforest.gov.in/English/forest_glance/forest_at_glance.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927093340/http://karnatakaforest.gov.in/English/forest_glance/forest_at_glance.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007 |access-date=6 May 2007 |work=Online Webpage of the Forest Department |publisher=Government of Karnataka}}</ref> These forests support 25% of the [[elephant]] and 10% of the [[tiger]] population of India. Many regions of Karnataka are as yet unexplored, so new species of flora and fauna are found periodically. The [[Western Ghats]], a [[biodiversity hotspot]], includes the western region of Karnataka. The Bandipur and Nagarahole National Parks were included in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986, a UNESCO designation.<ref name="unesco1">{{cite web |url=http://www.unesco.org.uy/mab/documentospdf/sevilla5.pdf |title=Seville 5, Internal Meeting of Expects, Proceedings, Pamplona, Spain, 23–27 October 2000 |publisher=[[UNESCO]] |access-date=1 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609231736/http://www.unesco.org.uy/mab/documentospdf/sevilla5.pdf |archive-date=9 June 2007}}</ref> The Indian roller and the [[Indian elephant]] are recognised as the state bird and animal while [[sandalwood]] and the [[Lotus (genus)|lotus]] are recognised as the state tree and flower respectively. Karnataka has five national parks: [[Anshi National Park|Anshi]], [[Bandipur National Park|Bandipur]], [[Bannerghatta National Park|Bannerghatta]], [[Kudremukh National Park|Kudremukh]] and [[Nagarhole National Park|Nagarhole]].<ref name="book">A Walk on the Wild Side, An Information Guide to National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Karnataka, Compiled and Edited by Nima Manjrekar, Karnataka Forest Department, Wildlife Wing, October 2000</ref> It also has 27 wildlife sanctuaries of which seven are bird sanctuaries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wiienvis.nic.in/Database/wls_8230.aspx |title=Wildlife Sanctuaries |website=ENVIS Centre on Wildlife & Protected Areas |access-date=17 February 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223175631/http://wiienvis.nic.in/Database/wls_8230.aspx |archive-date=23 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="forestdept" />

Wild animals that are found in Karnataka include the [[Elephas maximus|elephant]], the [[Panthera tigris|tiger]], the [[Panthera pardus|leopard]], the [[Bos gaurus|gaur]], the [[Cervus unicolor|sambar deer]], the [[Axis axis|chital or spotted deer]], the [[Muntiacus muntjak|muntjac]], the [[Macaca radiata|bonnet macaque]], the [[Loris tardigradus|slender loris]], the [[Paradoxurus hermaphroditus|common palm civet]], the [[Viverricula indica|small Indian civet]], the [[Melursus ursinus|sloth bear]], the [[Cuon alpinus|dhole]], the [[Hyaena hyaena|striped hyena]], the [[Vulpes bengalensis|Bengal fox]] and the [[Canis aureus|golden jackal]]. Some of the birds found here are the [[great hornbill]], the [[Malabar pied hornbill]], the [[Ceylon frogmouth]], herons, ducks, kites, eagles, [[falcon]]s, [[Old World quail|quails]], [[partridge]]s, [[lapwing]]s, [[sandpiper]]s, pigeons, doves, [[parakeet]]s, cuckoos, owls, [[nightjar]]s, [[Swift (bird)|swift]]s, [[kingfisher]]s, bee-eaters and [[munia]]s.<ref name="book" /><ref>[https://aranya.gov.in/aranyacms/(S(iplgz1hkulaidh3dcg0smd5x))/English/Wildlife.aspx Threatened Fauna of Karnataka] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227032232/https://aranya.gov.in/aranyacms/(S(iplgz1hkulaidh3dcg0smd5x))/English/Wildlife.aspx |date=27 December 2021 }} By the Karnataka Forest Department</ref><ref>[https://aranya.gov.in/aranyacms/(S(iplgz1hkulaidh3dcg0smd5x))/English/EndemicFauna.aspx Endemic fauna of Karnataka] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227032233/https://aranya.gov.in/aranyacms/(S(iplgz1hkulaidh3dcg0smd5x))/English/EndemicFauna.aspx |date=27 December 2021 }} By the Karnataka Forest Department</ref> Some species of trees found in Karnataka are ''[[Calophyllum tomentosum]]'', ''[[Calophyllum apetalum]]'', ''[[Garcinia cambogia]]'', ''[[Garcinia morella]]'', ''[[Alstonia scholaris]]'', ''[[Flacourtia montana]]'', ''[[Artocarpus hirsutus]]'', ''[[Artocarpus lacucha]]'', ''[[Cinnamomum zeylanicum]]'', ''[[Grewia tiliifolia]]'', ''[[Santalum album]]'', ''Shorea talura'', ''[[Emblica officinalis]]'', ''[[Vitex altissima]]'' and ''[[Wrightia tinctoria]]''. Wildlife in Karnataka is threatened by [[poaching]], [[habitat destruction]], [[Human–wildlife conflict|human-wildlife conflict]] and [[pollution]].<ref name="book" />