Corbett Tiger Reserve

State

Uttaranchal

History

Altitude (above M.S.L.)

365 - 1100 m

Corbett has been described as "the land of roar, trumpet and song". It represents a area of incredible beauty. It is the oldest National Park in India and was established as Hailey National Park in 1936, renamed to Ramganga National Park in 1954-55 and finally Corbett National Park in 1955-56. Corbett was one of the 9 Tiger Reserves created at the launch of Project Tiger in 1973.

Area

Total

1318.5 km²

Core

520.8 km²

Buffer

797.7 km²

Flora and Fauna

Corbett is located in the foothills of the Central Himalayas and both Himalayan and Peninsular flora and fauna are found here. The variety of habitat supports a remarkable rich biodiversity with a minimum of nine different forest types and expansive grasslands around the Ramganga Reservoir. The Zoological Survey of India has recorded over 585 species of birds, making Corbett a bird-lovers paradise. An estimated 138 tigers are found in Corbett.

Temperature

°0C - 42°C

Rainfall (per annum)

1400 - 2800 mm

Seasons

Winter

Nov - Feb

Summer

Mar - Jun

Monsoon

Jul - Oct

Fauna

Tiger, leopard, elephant, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, hog deer, wild boar, langur and rhesus monkey, Indian marsh crocodile, gharial, king cobra, common krait, russell’s viper, python, monitor lizard, etc.

Forest Type

Moist Deciduous Forest,
Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest,
Himalayan Subtropical Pine Forests

Funds

Insufficient & delayed

Management Objectives

Staff

Understaffed

The main focus at Corbett is to protect the ecosystem and its components. Habitat and water management is a major concern. Corbett is also focussing on eco-tourism.

Problems

Grazing of livestock and encroachment of forestland by 74 families is a problem. The spread of exotic weeds is also posing a major threat to the habitat; vast stretches of the reserve are choked with Lantana growth and Parthenium is invading fresh areas aggressively. Poaching of both tigers and elephants occurs.

External Influences (1991 census)

Villages

92

Human population

66,000

Livestock numbers

44,500