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By the 1970’s the tiger’s plight was being realised and in 1973 ‘The World Wildlife Fund’ launched Project Tiger at ‘Corbett’ the first of 8 that were initially opened. Today there are 23 tiger reserves in total and the tigers’ future, though precarious, is a little more assured.
In 1972 it was estimated that around 40 tigers lived within the park. This figure has risen to well over a hundred and despite poaching problems the tigers are doing well. However, the often dense habitat of Corbett, which means lots of ambush points for the tiger also means more difficult viewing for the visitor so it is best to spend at least a few days in the park if you want to see one (or two). Other cats apart from tigers include leopards, jungle cat, civets and the fishing cat. Bears and porcupines are regular sightings but after the tigers the park is best known for its population of Asian elephants which are often found in the Terai geasslands though the elephant is not an animal that tends to spend too
much time in any one given place. Another attraction of the park, though this time reptilian, is the very endangered gharial a long nosed crocodile that specialises in catching fish.
If you are a keen ornithologist Corbett is probably one of the best places in India to go. Over 600 species have been recorded. In the winter the dammed section of the Ramganga attracts many migrant waterfowl, raptors are common and among the woodland birds no less than 17 types of woodpecker occur!
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