Rated amongst the finest national parks of India, the Corbett National Park has the privilege of being the first national park of the country, developed and nurtured by Late Jim Corbett in the year 1936. The Corbett National Park also enjoys the privilege of being the first national park of India to be covered under the famous Project Tiger (Project Tiger was lunched to protect the diminishing tiger population in India in 1973). Located in the picturesque surroundings of lush green forests and a series of ridges running parallel to the valley, the park covers an area of 520.8 sq. km and is famous for its individualistic scenic beauty. The wildlife in Corbett National Park is quite rich and varied, difficult to be found in any other national parks of India.
According to a 2-year long survey conducted by a team of wildlife specialists, the wildlife in Corbett National Park comprises of about 50 mammal species, 580 bird species, 25 reptile species and 110 tree species. The varied wildlife in Corbett National Park ranges from large mammals to the lesser ones, the birds, the reptiles and amphibians, the fishes, the insects, the mollusks, the crustaceans and more. But the Corbett National Park is known for its ferocious yet handsome Royal Bengal Tigers. The park offers congenial environmental conditions for growth and survival of the Royal Bengal Tigers and its prey such as 4 kinds of Deer, Wild Boar and other lesser animals.
For your ease, the wildlife in the Corbett National Park can be divided into the following categories.
The Mammals: In this category fall the Monkeys, the Predators, Elephants, Antelopes and Deer, and Wild Pig. Apart from the Royal Bengal Tiger or Indian Tiger, the other notable mammals in the Corbett National Park are Rhesus Macaques, Langurs, Leopards, Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat, Fishing Cat, the Dhole (Wild dog), Jackals, Red Fox, Sloth Bear and Black Bear. The small mammals in the park constitute of Marten, Otters, Indian Civet, Mongoose, Black-napped Hare (Khargosh), Palm Squirrel, Indian Porcupine and the Long-eared Hedgehog Musk-rat. In addition, about 8 kinds of bats have also been identified, which include the Flying Fox and the Indian Pangolin. The Corbett National Park also shelters a significant population of wild elephants, numbering about 200-300.
The Corbett National Park also has a significant population of antelopes and deer. The four species of deer found in the park include Chital (the well-known Spotted Deer), the Para (hog deer), the Sambar (the largest Asiatic deer) and the Muntjac (barking deer), also called kakkar. The antelopes found in the Corbett National Park include the Nilgai and the Goat-antelopes. The park also shelters a significant population of omnivorous Wild Pigs and Wild Boars.
The Birds: The Corbett National Park is home to about 600 species of birds, one of the richest in India. Some of the most prominent birds found in the Corbett National Park are Cormorants, the Darter, the Grey Heron, Egrets, the Cattle Egret, the White-necked and Black-necked Storks, the Spotbill, the Large Pied Wagtail, White-capped Redstart, the Great Crested Grebe, Graylag Geese, White Storks, Black Storks, Sandpipers, Snipe, the Great Black-headed Gull, Ducks, Green Pigeons, Parakeets, Cuckoos, Hornbills, Barbets, Woodpeckers, Orioles, Drongos, Pies, Babblers and Thrushes, Mynas, Bulbuls, Warblers, Tailor Bird, Robins, Chats, Redstarts, Bayas, Finches, Indian Alpine Swift, Crested Swifts, the Dusky Crag Martin, Striated (or Red-rumpled) Swallows, the Indian Cliff Shallow, and the Wire-tailed Swallow.
The Reptiles: The Ramganga River and the lake inside the Corbett National Park support a variety of reptile population. The park provides an ideal habitat for both the Gharial (Fish-eating Crocodile) and the Muggar (Marsh Crocodile). Among the important reptiles found in the Corbett National Park are the Indian Python, Viper, the King Cobra, Krait, Cat Snake, the Wolf Snake, Common Monitors, Lizards, Tortoises, Turtles to name a few.
Corbett National Park is a paradise of wildlife and bird lovers and a must visit for any wildlife and nature loving person.
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