Jim Corbett National Park - Heaven for Wildlife Lovers
Jim Corbett National Park
It is a different story that Rudyard Kipling's cult novel 'Jungle Book' was based on another jungle in India, but Jim Corbett National Park is probably the most celebrated wildlife reserve in the country. This is may be because of the fact that India's most ambitious wildlife conservation initiative was kicked off from this oldest park in the country. The aim behind this initiative called 'Project Tiger' was to protect the critically endangered Bengal tigers residing in the region. Named in honor of Jim Corbett, a British hunter and conservationist who stressed on the need to protect India's wildlife from extermination, Jim Corbett National Park is one of the most sought after eco-tourism destination in the whole Asian region.
Park History:
The park was first established in 1936 as Hailey National Park by protecting an establishment of rare bio-diversity in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. Symbolically speaking, the park represents an amalgamation of two distinct cultures of Kumaon and Garhwal in Uttarakhand because of its locations at the convergence of both the regions. Blessed with a breath taking Himalayan topography Uttarakhand has always been a favorite destination of nature lovers and this particular park has been the focal point of this worldwide admiration. However, tourism activity is only confined to a few selected areas of Corbett park to ensure a safe and serene habitat to its occupants.
Corbett Wildlife Information:
Corbett Park is an amazing blend of high hills, swamps, riverine belts and green meadows covering an area of total 522 kilometers at the foot hills of the great Himalayas and this makes the park a heaven for wildlife adventure lovers. The options are many as everything from rock climbing, rappelling, elephant safaris, fishing and angling to bird watching is available for visitors. But, the best thing about this park has to be the open jeep safari. Catching a glimpse of a tiger resting in the moist deciduous forest in a bright winter morning is a visitor's dream comes true.
Apart form the monsoon season, the park is open all around the year. But, Corbett is not all about tigers. A pathway adorned with mango orchards leads one into a complete different world housing a record number of 488 different species of plants and 580 bird types. Moreover a plethora of 25 reptile species and 50 species of mammals are reasons enough to go personal with this wonderland. The cacophony of the wildlife reverberating through the entire forest represents music of life that can actually blow away the stress of a concrete life and what can be a better way to dance into the beats of this music other than a solitary walk by the green meadows inside the reserve?
Leaving the occupants to the comfort of the wilderness, the area outside the park has developed into a 'resorts paradise' with innumerable accommodation facilities so that we respect the fine line god has drawn between we human beings and the wilderness. After all, the laws of the jungle do not permit wild intrusions.
