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Corbett National Park :India February 17, 2006

Located in the foothills of the Himalayas is the majestic Corbett National Park. Home to a variety of flora and fauna, it is famous for its wild population of Tigers, Leopards and Elephants. Corbett national park was established in 1936, as the Hailey National Park. India’s first national park and the first sanctuary to come under Project Tiger, Corbett supports a variety of vegetation making it the ideal habitat for the Tiger and its prey.

Jim Corbett National Park India has always been famous for their resident tigers. Initially Jim Corbett National Park reserve was named as ‘Hailey National Park’ in 1936. Jim Corbett National Park was renamed in 1954-55 as ‘Ramganga National Park’ and again in 1955-56 as ‘Jim Corbett National Park’ after Jim Corbett who hunted down tigers that had turned man-eaters, between 1907 to 1939. Jim Corbett National Park India is the 1st and oldest National Park of India. Jim Corbett National Park India was one of the nine Tiger Reserves created at the launch of the Project Tiger in 1973.

Corbett National Park was the first to be designated a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973. Situated at a distance of 260 kms from Delhi and 128 kms from Nainital, the Corbett National Park is best known for its big cats, especially the tiger. Despite the efforts of conservationists, the tiger population of India is dwindling rapidly, and Corbett National Park is one of the few parks where the tiger can still be seen. There are around 50 tigers in Corbett, besides other wildlife like leopards, several lesser cats, the wild dog, porcupines, jackals, civets, sloth bear, black bear, wild boar and a few hundred elephants.

The Corbett Park A conservationist’s heritage It is as though time has stood still in the last hundred years. The tiger yawns and stretches near the river after a hearty meal. Herds of beautiful spotted deer graze close by, knowing they are safe for several hours. The otters tease the tiger from afar. The crocodile ignores the otters, since he fancies only fish. The swift, mighty mahaseer however, at 50lbs, is more than a match for the crocodile. In the tall grass, one of the last few hog deers on earth eats the tender shoots of grass, disturbing the golden oriole who has just laid 3 perfect eggs in her nest by the river bank.

Corbett is the home of 580 species of birds including water fowl, 17 types of woodpecker, raptors like the Pallas fishing eagle, harriers and kites, peafowl, kalij pheasant, the rare chir pheasant, red jungle fowl, minivets, shrikes, cuckoos, drongos and barbets. A fine reservoir on the river formed with the building of a dam at Kalagarh now attracts diverse species of water birds - both local and migratory. With its avian variety Corbett is a marvellous location for bird watchers also.

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