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Corbett Tiger Reserve

General Information:

Area Core: 520.82 sq. km.
Buffer: 797.72 sq. km.
Total: 1318.54 sq. km.
Longitude: 7805' E to 7905' E
Latitude: 29025'E to 29040' N
Altitude: 365 m - 1100 m above MSL
Rainfall: 1400 mm - 2800 mm
Temperature: 40 - 42C

Introduction:

Corbett has aptly been described as the land of the Roar, Trumpet and Song. It represents a scene of remarkable beauty. Corbett had the proud distinction of being chosen as the venue for the inauguration of Project Tiger in India. The rich biodiversity of the Reserve is partly attributed to the variety of habitat found here. Due to the location of the Reserve in the foothills of the Central Himalayas, both Himalayan and peninsular flora and fauna is found in the Reserve. The grasslands, locally known as Chaurs, are limited. The largest grassland is the Dhikala Chaur. Some of the best grasslands including the famous Buxar Chaur and the Beri Chaur got submerged under the Ramganga reservoir in 1974. The areas made available as a result of the relocation of villages, Dhara, Jhirna and Kothirau in 1994 are being developed into grasslands through habitat management. The Ramganga reservoir which came into being in 1974, stretches over an area of around 82 sq. km. with one half each in Corbett National Park and Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary respectively. The Ramganga river is the lifeline of Corbett Tiger Reserve. Its principal tributaries are the Mandal, Palain and Sonanadi. Numerous mountainous streams locally called Sots flow into these rivers. The nullahs and ravines are thickly covered with evergreen shrubs, with pockets of evergreen glades along them, which provide undisturbed cover and water for the tiger. Part of the catchment of the Kosi river falls within the Reserve though the river is outside the Reserve. Corbett is very rich in avifauna. Zoological Survey of India has recorded over 585 species of resident and migratory birds here. Corbett falls in the newly constituted state of Uttaranchal, carved out of former Uttar Pradesh State in 2000.

Conservation History:

The Reserve area was named as 'Hailey National Park' in 1936. This was renamed in 1954-55 as 'Ramganga National Park' and again in 1955-56 as 'Corbett National Park'. Its the oldest National Park of India. It was one of the nine Tiger Reserves created at the launch of the Project Tiger in 1973. The original area of the Park was 323.75 sq. km. to which 197.07 sq. km. was added later. An area of 797.72 sq. km. was added as buffer of the Corbett Tiger Reserve in 1991. This area includes the whole of Kalagarh Forest Division (including 301.18 sq. km. area of Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary), 96.70 sq. km. of Ramnagar Forest Division and 89 sq. km. The administrative control over the entire area is that of the Field Director of the Reserve.

Tourism:

New Tourism Zone: Dhikala represents the main area open to visitors. Day visits to Dhikala were banned in 1990 and only those visitors that had confirmed overnight accommodation were permitted to enter from the National Park gate. As the total number of beds in different forest rest houses in Dhikala Zone is a mere 113, this represented one of the strictest controls on the number of visitors entering the NP. The ban was enforced as per the recommendations of the committee constituted by Government of India. In order to cope up with the increasing demand of the tourists, an alternate day visit zone was set up at Bijrani. In 1996 three more tourism zones were demarcated within the re-organised Corbett. These included the Sonanadi WLS and the Jhirna and Lohachaur zone located in the buffer.

At present, the area open to visitors in Corbett Tiger Reserve has been divided into five mutually exclusive tourism zones, each having a separate gate/gates for entrance. A visitor wishing to go from one zone to another has to come out and re-enter through the gate for the other zone. This has been done to disperse visitor pressure all around the reserve and check excessive visitor numbers in more popular areas.

Annually around 50,000 tourist visit Jim Corbett National Park. More then one tenth of these are foreigners. The visitor facilities of Jim Corbett National Park are maintained by the Tiger Reserve management and there are no private lodges inside the reserve. There are five mutually exclusive tourism zones each having separate gate for entrance.

Tourism zone

Gate

Bijrani

Amdanda

Jhirna

Dhela

Dhikala

Dhangari

Durgadevi

Dhela

Garjiya

Sonanadi

Vatanvasa

Pakhro

Day visit to all zones are strictly regulated and only a limited number of vehicles are permitted entry during each morning and afternoon.
Permits for day visits to the sonanadi ecotourism zone can be obtained from the visitor reception center at Kotdwar.
Permits for day visits to other zones are available online on our official website.
Visitors are advised to acquaint themselves with gate timings and arrive well before the designated time to avoid any inconvenience.
Private vehicles are not allowed entry for tourism purposes and visitors use specially designed vehicles registered with CTR for their visits. Day visits to the Dhikala ecotourism Zone are only permitted by specially conducted buses.
Visitors can also enjoy elephant rides at Bijrani and Dhikala ecotourism Zone.
Canteen facilities are available at Dhikala, Bijrani and Gairal. At other locations, kitchen facility is provided.

Weather & Climate

Clear skies with comforting sunshine, good for wildlife viewing between November and December with temp. varying from 20 - 220 C.

February to April best time to be in the park. Clean weather and excellent visibility moderate day temperature.

Temperature vary from 150 - 350 Centigrade from May to mid June. Hot in afternoons. Morning and evenings are very pleasant.

Mid June to mid September. Its the time when Corbett id at its most beautiful but remain close till November 15th . Buffer zone is open.

Mid September to mid November weather good enough for movement in buffer zone. Warm afternoons and frequently varying day temperature with occasional rains.

WINTER

SPRINGS

SUMMER

RAINS

AUTUMN

Habitats & topography

Forest

Predominantly Sal (Shorea Robusta). The following type of forest are found in the park.Northen moist deciduous forest. Moist- Shivalik sal, moist bhabar dun Sal, western Gangetic moist mixed deciduous, alluvial savannah woodland.Northern tropical dry deciduous forest - dry Shivalik Sal, northern dry mixed deciduous Khair (Acacia Catechu) Sissoo (Delbergia sissoo)Himalayan subtropical Pine forest - lower Shivalik Chir Pine.

Grassland

Grassland Locally known as Chaurs, this covers about one tenth of the total park area. The largest grassland is the Dhikhala Chaur, other famous grassland areas of the park such as Buxar Chaur and Beri Chaur were submerged by the Ramganga reservoir in 1974.

Water Bodies

Phul Tal and Malini Tal located in the Bijrani range are the stagnant water bodies. The Ramganga reservoir is the biggest water body of the park which is streached from Kalagarh to Dhikhala range covering an area of around 82 sq km.

Riverine

The lifeline of the park is the Ramganga river which enters the park from North and flows right through the heart off the park. There are other rivers also which are mainly the tributaries of the Ramganga such as Mandal, Palan & Sonanadi, there are other various mountain streams which continuously fed these rivers forming a fine water network through out the park.

Swamps

Many areas located along the Ramganga river and natural streams are swampy, typically covered with Jamun trees providing a good cover to the Tiger from hot summer months.

Wildlife in Jim Corbett

Corbett National Park is the ultimate safe heaven of the majestic Tiger, apart from tiger it is also the home of as many as 50 different species of mammals, 580 species of birds and around 25 species of reptiles. Some of the game which can be viewed here are

Mammals:

Elephant is the biggest and non- feline mammal of the reserve apart from this other animals found are Leopard, jungle cat, spotted deer, sambhar deer, hog deer, barking deer, nilgai, sloth bear, wild boar, ghural, langur monkey, resus monkey. martin etc.

Birds:

Corbett has a reputation to be home of 580 bird species 9both resident and migratory some feather in the crown of the Corbett are Pallase's fishing eagle, King &Griffon vulture, Himalayan golden eagle, There are as many as 17 kinds of woodpeckers,5 different species of Barbets, 5 species of Waigtails, minivets, redstarts, finches, babblers, parakeets and more than 50 kinds of raptors.

Reptile:

The Mugger and Indian marsh crocodile locally known as Ghrial are found in Ramganga other reptiles include king cobra, common karait, cobra, Russel's viper, python, monitor lizard, tortoise and fresh water turtles etc. A total 25 reptile species have been recorded in Corbett NP which is a clear indication that the system is in perfect equilibrium in Corbett.

Fish:

Ramganga and Kosi Rivers in Jim Corbett has various species of Fishes like Mahaseer Barbus tor, kalimuchi Barbus chilinoides, kalabasu Labeo calabasu, chilwa Oxygastro bacaila and goonch Bargarius bargarius.