History of Corbett National Park

The first Reserve forest of its kind, the park was established in 1936- when it was known as the Hailey National Park- mainly through the efforts of Jim Corbett, the conservationist. Corbett lived throughout his childhood in the area of Kaladhungi between Nainital and Ramnagar. He had a deep insight into the ecology of the area, and in later years he was called upon by the locals to shoot down man-eating leopards and tigers that stalked the villages. Locally referred to as "Carpet Sahib", he turned to photography and writing, authoring books on wildlife, like "My India", "Jungle Lore" and "Man-eaters of Kumaon".

Corbett National Park was the first to be designated a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973. Situated at a distance of 260 kms from Delhi and 128 kms from Nainital, the Corbett National Park is best known for its big cats, especially the tiger. Despite the efforts of conservationists, the tiger population of India is dwindling rapidly, and Corbett National Park is one of the few parks where the tiger can still be seen.