Jim Corbett National Park is a reserved forest area in the Nainital district of the Uttarakhand State. It was known as Hailey national Park earlier. Later, it was named as Jim Corbett National park after a British writer and conservationist called Jim Corbett. It is known as the oldest national parks of India which comes under the Project Tiger. One of the rarest species of tigers (Bengal Tigers) is preserved in this park.
Winter would be the ideal time to visit. You can reach the park via Ramnagar which is the headquarters of the Corbett Tiger Reserve area. Ramnagar can be reached via Delhi by road or by railways. Once you reach Ramnagar you can take a private vehicle till the park site. The total area of the reservoir is about 509 sq miles. The area consists of rivers (Ramaganga river), streams, deciduous and semi deciduous forests, plains and plateaus. It had become a natural habitat for various animal and bird species earlier. At present, most of them have been extinguished due to illegal activities taking place in the area. Though, the Government has banned activities like poaching and timber smuggling, such activities do take place. The park preserves more than 488 species of flora and more than 585 species of birds. Though it is known for Bengal tigers it would be very difficult to spot any of them. The park also preserves reptiles, eagles, elephants, deer and aquatic animals. There is a need to guide the visitors as not to disturb the ecosystem of the park. The administrative authorities at the park conduct workshops on how to behave in the park, on how to preserve the eco-balance and have brought out a DVD for that purpose. Visitors should avoid making noise, spoiling the ambience, cutting of wood, lighting fire, hunting animals and take care as not to disturb the habitat. Other than a safari tour in the jungle one can also visit the Kalagarh dam for a bird watch and can go for trekking with a guide.
