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About Corbett National
Park
Situated in the picturesque Kumaon hills in Nainital district, Corbett
National Park is the place from wh ere
Project Tiger was launched in 1973.The park has a core area of 520 sq.
kms with picturesque hilly ridges covered by sal trees. Lower down are
the grasslands and bamboo growth. A list of species reported from
Corbett included 582 species of birds, 26 species of reptiles, 7
species of amphibians and 50 species of mammals. The floral diversity
is also extremely varied. The Park is named after the famous hunter
and naturalist, Jim Corbett, who popularised this land and its animals
in his book "The Man-Eaters of Kumaon". Corbett recounts many
fascinating tales of hunting down man-eating tigers. Always a nature
lover, he helped set up a sanctuary called Hailey Park in 1936.
Eventually, an all India initiative for the protection of the Tiger
was launched from here. The park has a high density of tiger
population.
Fauna Attractions
The Corbett Wildlife Sanctuary is an excellent and largely inviolate
specimen of the rich sal and mixed woodland that spans the outer
Himalayas. Because of its rich biogeographic diversity, the Park is a
natural haven for the flora and fauna of the plains, the sub
mountainous regions and high altitude areas.
At
 the
lower level are winding strips of alluvial grasslands or chaurs
(beloved to many species of deer) crossed by numerous water courses.
The lifeline of the Park is the sparkling Ramganga river which
provides safe harbour to mahaseer fish, crocodile and otter. Stately
stands of sal and diverse mixed forest cover hills and valleys, fodder
and foliage for large herds of elephants. Sharp spurs in the terrain
make it an idyllic habitat for shy species like the tiger.
Unique Attractions
Tiger
Corbett is one of the most congested parks in India with a ratio of 1
tiger to every 5 acres. Gullies, ravines and thick forest cover give
tigers the right kind of habitat. And herdes of deer, particularly the
sambar, plenty of food. The tiger is reclusive, but can be somewhat
predictable in its beat. You are more likely to spot a tiger close
near a ater body than to meet him or her accidentally on the forest
path!
Asiatic Elephant
What warns you is the sharp tang of freshly crushed vegetation and the
sound of leaves being torn. Seeing elephants in the wild is a raw,
exhilarating experience. The Corbett Park is the best place in Nort hern
India to observe them at fairly close quarters. About 300 - 350
Asiatic elephants roam around the park in herds, along the river
Ramganga or foraging in the grasslands.
The forests provide the elephants enough food. The elephant's daily
diet is perked up with wild berries and fruits which are available
aplenty.
Birdlovers Paradise
The park, with its rich biogeographic diversity, is home to more than
600 species of birds - about half of the total species found in the
entire Indian subcontinent! You can see parakeets, owls, orioles,
drongos, thrushes, babblers, bulbuls, cuckoos, doves, bee eaters,
rollers, flycatchers, warblers, robins, chats, finches, forktails,
hornbills, kingfishers and many many more. It is also possibly one of
the best places in the world for observing birds of prey.
Many of these birds are migratory: the park forms a natural crossroad
and meeting ground for avian species from high altitude areas, plains
and eastern and western regions.
Special Significence
A home for vanishing species
The protective environment of Corbett Park has kept some endangered
species safe and thriving, like the hog deer which has been virtually
saved from extinction. At last count, the numbers had increased
substantially.
Corbett is also the only home of the rare Indian pagolin. Consider
yourself supremely blessed if you spot one! The rare fish eating, long
snouted gharial is a common sight on the banks of the river Ramganga.
Several species on the world hit list have been seen to be breeding
happily in the park, at ease in Corbett's rich, life supporting bio
diversity.
Safari
Take an early dawn elephant back safari with an authorized mahout
guide. Jeep rides can be arranged at the Tourist Centre. Although
jeeps penetrate deeper into the forest than elephants, they cannot get
nearly as close to the wild animals |
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Best time to visit
As
with the rest of the country, there are three well-defined seasons at
the Corbett National Park-winter from November to February, summer
from March to June and the rainy season the rest of the year. Corbett
is closed for public from June 15 to November 15.
How to get there?
Air : The nearest airport to Corbett National Park is Phoolbagh,
Pantnagar which is at a distance of 50 km. The nearest international
airport is at Delhi which is at a distance of 300 km from Corbett.
Rail : The nearest railway station is at Ramnagar from where
road transport options have to be availed to reach the park.
Road : Dhikala is 300 km from Delhi, 145 km from Lucknow and 51
km from Ramnagar. The route from Delhi spans Hapur-Murababad-Ramnagar.
The turn off is some 7 km beyond Muradabad to the left, marked by a
small board. The route from Lucknow spans
Bareilly-Kichha-Rudrapur-Doraha-Kashipur. |
