WHERE IS JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK

Jim Corbett National Park is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas, Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand is India's oldest national park. It was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park to save the endangered species of Bengal Tiger and was first renamed Ramganga in the mid-1950s, before the name was finally changed to Corbett later that decade in memory of Jim Corbett, a well-known British sportsman and writer.

 

Flora of Jim Corbett National Park

Jim Corbett National Park houses around 110 species of trees. The forest cover includes species of sal (Shorea), teak, oak, silver fir, spruce, cypress, birch, and bamboo. A reed forest was planted to provide the park’s animals with a natural cover.

 

Fauna of Jim Corbett National Park

 

There are around 50 species of mammals, 580 bird species and 25 reptile species at Jim Corbett National Park.

 

Among mammals found in the park apart from tigers are langurs, sloth bears, Asiatic black bears, Indian grey mongooses, jungle cats, elephants, wild boars, chitals (spotted deer), barking deer, and nilgai (Indian antelope). Reptiles and amphibians include a variety of snakes (including cobras and pythons) and species of crocodiles (notably gavials and muggers). At least 580 resident and migrant bird species have been identified, including shikras (Levant sparrowhawks), Indian white-backed vultures, black partridges, golden orioles, red jungle fowl, black-crowned night herons, and peafowl.

 

Tourism

 

Corbett has for a long time been a favourite haunt for tourists and wildlife enthusiasts. However, tourism activity is allowed only in select areas of Corbett Tiger Reserve.

 

The park is open from mid-November to mid-June; it is closed during the summer and monsoon seasons, when heavy rains make the roads impassable. According to reports, Jim Corbett sees more than 70,000 visitors every season.

 

In August 2019, Jim Corbett National Park once again shot into limelight after Discovery channel's, ‘Man Vs Wild with Bear Grylls’ featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In this episode, Modi set off on an adventure with Grylls. The duo took a trip through Corbett in an effort to promote environmental conservation.

 

About Jim Corbett

 

Jim Corbett, a colonel in the British-Indian Army and a famous hunter, was frequently called upon by United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (now Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand) to kill man-eating tigers and leopards preying on people in the villages of Garhwal and Kumaon. He often hunted with his dog, Robin.

 

Even during his hunting days, Corbett talked about conserving the forests and wildlife. It is said that he never hunted unless the big cat turned into a man-eater. However, some reports contradict that. For example, Corbett killed the famous tiger, Bachelor of Powalgarh, even as this big cat is said to have never killed a human.

 

He continued to write and sound the alarm about declining numbers of wild cats and other wildlife even after his retirement. Corbett died of a heart attack a few days after he finished his sixth book, Tree Tops.

 

The Jim Corbett National Park was renamed in his honour in 1957 as he had played a key role in establishing this protected area back in the 1930s. 

 

Some of the books written by Jim Corbett:

 

· Man-Eaters of Kumaon

 

· The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag

 

· The Temple Tiger

 

· More Man-Eaters of Kumaon