Corbett National Park

Corbett National Park Facts
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Location- Naintal district
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State- Uttaranchal
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Famous for- Tiger reserve
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Timings- 06:00 am to 11:00am and from 02:30 pm to 05:30 pm
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Best time to visit- 15 November to 15 June every year
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Altitude- 400 to 1,200m
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Weather - Summer (20 degrees to 40 degree Celsius)
Winter (05 degrees to 30 degree Celsius)
Jim Corbett National is one of the distinguished wildlife reserves in India. It
holds the distinction of being the pioneer of the Project Tiger for India an
animal for which the park is famous for. Earlier a part of Uttar Pradesh and now
Uttaranchal this park abounds in flora and fauna and is also home to a wildlife
population which constitutes tigers, leopards which are both the pride of Wild
in India and at the same time equally face the challenge of being endangered.
Apart from that there are a number of mammals, reptiles, insects and trees
species which are all preserved in this natural ecological habitat.
History- From 1815 to 1820 the National Tiger reserve as we know it today served
as a private property for the local rulers. There was little attention paid to
this wildlife reserve by the owners of the property or the government and it
took almost thirty years for the first plan for the parks conservation to be
drafted and implemented. The park has always been famous for the resident tiger
population. Another interesting part of the park’s history is also known for the
times it was named and renamed. Firstly Hailey National Park in 1936 followed by
Ramganaga National Park in 1954-55 and finally Jim Corbett National Park in
1955-56. This park was named after Jim Corbett, a hunter turned
conversationalist who hunted down tigers in the region. Another important
milestone of the park is the Tiger Project that was initiated by the Governement
of India in 1973.
Main wildlife attractions of the Jim Corbett National Park- The Jim Corbett
National Park is habitat for wildlife and is known for the Indian tiger and its
prey that includes the deer, wild boars and various other small and lesser known
animals. The hilly regions of this park are home to both leopards and other
species of night-time predicators that include wild cat, jungle cat and also
fishing cat. The lower regions of the park are known for Himalayan black bear.
Wild dogs and Dole dogs are also an important feature of the park along with
jackals. The other small residents of park include Indian grey mongoose, black
napped hare and porcupine. Elephants are also a part of the park. Along the
Ramganaga shores one can also see the long snouted fish eating gharial crocodile
and the mugger crocodile. The rocky hillsides are also known for ghoral and goat
antelopes. Apart from that the park is also known for Indian langur and Rhesus
monkeys that can be found throughout the park.
Safaris in and around – The Jim Corbett National Park is known for the various
zones for Safaris
Accommodations available in the park- Dhikala, Garial and Bijrani safari zone
within the park also serve as accommodation for tourists. Hotels in Corbett Park
consist of various cottages with balconies. The other sources for lodging in and
around the park include mud huts, standard rooms, jungle cottages and also river
view cottages.
How to reach Corbett National Park-
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By Air- the Park does not have its own air strip or helipad. The nearest air
terminal to the park is the Phoolbaug which lies at a distance of 50 km from the
park.
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By rail- The nearest railway station to the Corbett Park is Ramnagar. The
railway station is connected to main railheads of all cities in India
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By Road- The national Park is connected to various cities through a good network
of roads.
Quick bytes
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State :
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Uttaranchal
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Famous As : |
Tiger Reserve |
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National Park : |
1936 |
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Area : |
350sq km core, 150sq km buffer |
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Distance : |
86km from Nainital , 297km from Delhi |
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Altitude : |
400-1,200m |
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Temperature : |
Min 4 oC, max 42 oC |
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Park Season : |
Park stays open from 1st October to 30th June.
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¤ The Accommodation Available
Within the Park
Dhikala, Gairal and Bijrani. However, Dhikala is rather crowded with
tourists. It is advisable to stay in Gairal, which is quiet and offers
excellent sightings. A notice at Gairal (Survivors will be
prosecuted) warns against swimming in the Ramganga because of
gharials (a species of crocodile) that can kill human beings.
Ramnagar, the headquarters of Project Tiger, is also a good place to
stay. Jeeps can be hired from here for safaris into the Park, and
accommodation is better than at Dhikala and Gairal.
¤ Flora Attraction
Corbett National Park is rich in vegetation, with different kinds of
trees and shrubs. The lower reaches of the Park, where the land is
flat compared to the upper reaches, consists of tall and slender sal
(Shorea robusta) trees. Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) and khair (Acacia
katechu) trees are found in the middle reaches, while the upper
reaches of the mountains are full of bakli (Anogeissus latifolia),
chir (Pinus roxburghii), gurail (Bauhinia racemosa) and bamboo trees.
The Park is dotted with lantana shrubs, a species that is a great
cause for concern. Imported years ago from America, the lantana shrub
ensures that nothing else grows near it. In the Park are 110 species
of trees, 51 species of shrubs, and over 33 species of bamboo and
grass that are mostly found in chowds, or meadows.
¤ Wildlife Attractions
Corbett National Park has more than 50 species of mammals, 585
species of birds and 25 species of reptiles, but the Park is known for
its elephants and leopards, not its tigers. Many kinds of deer, namely
chital (spotted deer), sambar (Indian stag), chinkara (Indian
gazelle), pada (hog deer) and muntjac (barking deer) abound in the
Park.
¤ Tiger Sighting
Tiger sighting is rare, in spite of a lot of alarm calls from monkeys
and deer. Elephant herds comprising tuskers, females and calves are
commonly seen. However, an elephant herd with calves is perhaps the
most dangerous encounter in the wild, for elephants are very
possessive of their young and do not hesitate to charge at intruding
human beings.
Leopard sighting is even rarer than that of the tiger, and these
spotted cats confine themselves to the higher reaches of the Park.
Other feline species found in the Park are leopard cats, jungle cats,
the rare fishing cat, and caracal, to name a few. Sloth bears, wild
boars, monkeys, dholes (wild dogs), jackals and ghorals (mountain
goats) also inhabit the Park.
¤ Aquatic Reptile Population
The aquatic reptile population in the Park consists of mugger
(Crocodylus palustris) and gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) crocodiles,
while Indian rock pythons, Russells vipers, cobras, king cobras
and common kraits are some of the snakes found in the Park. Bird life
includes parakeets, flycatchers, babblers, cuckoos, robins, bulbuls,
Indian and Great Pied hornbills, warblers and finches, to name a few.
¤ Safaris
Elephant safaris can be arranged in Dhikala and Bijrani. 2hrs, Rs 120
for foreigners, Rs 20 for Indians.
Jeep safaris are available from outside the Park as well as from
Dhikala. 2hrs, Rs 500. Rs 800 (plus petrol) for full day, can be hired
from Ramnagar.
Major Tour Packages To Taj Mahal
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