Corbett Tiger National Park

Jim Corbett National Park is the first wildlife reserve of India. Spread over an area of over 500 sq km, this wildlife reserve is the pride of Himalayan foothills. The park was established in the year 1936. It was earlier known as Hailey National Park. Then in 1955, its name got changed to Ramganga National Park. Finally, the park was decided to be called Jim Corbett National Park. He name was to honor the hunter-turned- conservationist Jim Corbett who was known for hunting down man-eating tigers and leopards of the Kumaon and lower Garhwal areas.

Located in the Indian state of Uttaranchal, this sanctuary is mainly known as a home to wild animals like Tigers, Leopards, and Crocodiles. Know all about Corbett Tour Packages and Corbett Lodges & Resorts to stay at during your visit. Best time to visit the Jim Corbett National Park is between the 15th of November and 16th of June. The sanctuary remains closed from June 16 and November 14 due to the flood that make the river beds overflow and block the road links.

Corbett National Park is visited by thousands of visitors on every year basis. Due to the wide choices of the visitors coming here, the administration stands ready with a variety of facilities from staying options to tour packages. A well known merit that the park holds is being the venue for the inauguration of Project Tiger in India. The wide range of habitats found here make it a reserve rich in biodiversity. People come here to see wild animals that top the popularity list. Some of these animals of Corbett are tiger, elephant, chital, nilgai, gharial, King Cobra, sambar, flying fox, Indian Pangolin, wild boar, hedgehog, and common musk shrew. Not only this, there are nearly six hundred species of small and big birds in the reserve.

Situated in the foothills of the Central Himalayas, the reserve is full of Himalayan and peninsular flora and fauna. Once you enter the park, it would be trilling to hear the sounds of the wildlife persisting there. Be it the roar of the tiger, soaring Crested Serpent Eagle, flutter of wood pigeons, roaring trumpet of the elephant, or the shrill whistle of monkeys, every sound will make you feel you are in a big jungle.

Visitors can choose open jeeps to view the spectacular wildlife park. And if you want a more real-life-sinerio, then choose elephant-backs to see the park from an elephant’s point of view. The wildlife attraction offered by the park is good enough to bring the crowd from all over the world. Most loved species of the wild animals found here are Smooth Indian Otter, Hog-deer, Goral, Indian Pangolin, Sambar, Tiger, Leopard, Leopard-cat, Fishing Cat, Jungle Cat, Wild Dog, Asian Elephant, Gaur (Indian Bison), Gharial, Indian Python, spotted Deer (Chital), Barking Deer Mugger (Marsh Crocodile), Sloth Bear, and Himalayan Palm Civet.

Bird species at Jim Corbett are rare and interesting. A list of such not-so-ordinary birds include Crested Goshawk, Hen Harrier, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Brown Fish Owl, Pallas's Fish Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Osprey, Brown Hawk Owl, Spot-bellied Eagle, Black Eagle, Mountain Hawk Eagle, and Lesser Fish Eagle.

Tiger Facts:

From around 40,000 tigers at the turn of the last century, there are just 1411 tigers left in India.

2009 was the worst year for tigers in India, with 86 deaths reported.

There are 37 Tiger sanctuaries in India. However, 17 sanctuaries are on the verge of losing their tiger population.

Corbett National Park is the oldest tiger park in India. It was created in 1936 as ‘Hailey National Park’.

The Kanha National Park’s lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel, The Jungle Book.