Corbett National Park
Situated in the picturesque Kumaon hills in Nainital district, Corbett
National Park was the venue of the maiden launch of Project Tiger
(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 put the population
at 582 species of birds, 26 species of reptiles, 7 species of amphibians
and 50 species of mammals. The floral diversity is equally varied.
The Park is named after the famous hunter and naturalist, Jim Corbett,
who popularized 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.
Wildlife Attractions in Corbett National Park
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 bio-geographic 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 harbor 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. Some of the
unique attractions of the park include
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 water 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. Spotting elephants in the wild is
a raw, exhilarating experience. The Corbett Park is the best place
in Northern 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 in plenty.
The forests provide the elephants enough food. The elephant's daily
diet is perked up with wild berries and fruits which are available
aplenty
Bird Population
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.
Corbett - 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 pangolin. 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. Conducted
bus tours of 4-5 hours are available at Bijrani and Dhikala. All visitors
are required to obtain an entry permit, which is available from the
park administration centre at Ramnagar.
Other Attractions
Ramnagar
The busy little market town of Ramnagar, situated on the south-eastern
border of the park is the main administrative town and the base camp
for visitors traveling to the Corbett National Park. The town also
makes a good fishing base camp.
How to Get there
Air : The nearest airport to Corbett National Park is Phoolbagh, Pantnagar
which is at a distance of 80 km. The nearest international airport
is at Delhi.Delhi is conveniently connected to major Indian and International
cities through a number of daily flights. It is a good option to travel
to Corbett from Delhi by a private four wheeler or train. Besides
taking your own vehicle will also help you travel inside the park.
Rail : The nearest railway station is at Ramnagar, which can be accessed
from Delhi through the Ranikhet Express (Dep. 10:50 PM, Arr. 4:35
AM). The journey from Delhi takes around 6-7 hrs. but be sure to get
into the right part of the train as it bifurcates at Moradabad.
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.
To travel from Delhi, take the NH24 to Moradabad via Hapur and Gajraula,
follow the state highway to Amdanda, Garija and Dhangarhi gates of
the park via Kashipur and Ramnagar.
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