Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, spread over an area of more than 1200 sq km., including the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Jim Corbett National Park is the first ever National Park in India and Asia. Earlier known as 'Hailey National Park', the national park is home to the most precious wildlife in India and the diverse species of flora and fauna accommodating around 110 tree species, 50 mammal species, 580 bird species and 25 reptile species.
The history of the park can be traced back to the early 1800 century when the forest came under the rule of Terhi Garhwal. In 1820 the forest came under the rule of British. Set up in 1936, Corbett National Park is widely known for the Bengal Tiger and the Asiatic Elephant. In 1973, the park became one of the Tiger reserves in the country, with the launch of the Project Tiger scheme. The park is also famous for its variety of landscapes.
Named after the famous hunter, Jim Corbett, the varied topography of the park comprises of hilly and riverine areas, temporary marshy depressions, plateaus and ravines. The lower areas are almost completely populated by Sal trees. This makes the park suitable for its species to survive and multiply.
Apart from the Bengal Tigers and Elephants, the wildlife in the Corbett National Park includes Himalayan Palm Civet, Indian Gray Mongoose, Common Otter, Blacknaped Hare and Porcupine. Besides the huge herds of elephants, one can also discover the two varieties of crocodiles - Gharial and Mugger - on the banks of Ramganga River through the tour packages for Corbett.
The National park consists of the cat family like Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat and Fishing Cat and is a haven for Tigers as well as its prey. This includes four kinds of Deer, Wild Boar and some lesser-known animals. The leopards are mostly found in the hilly terrains of the Park The Dole or Wild Dog and Jackal are found in the southern parts of the national park. Sloth Bear is found in the lower regions of the park while the Himalayan Black Bear is seen in the higher hills only. The Langur and Rhesus Monkeys are also quite common in the Corbett national park.