Know Before You Go Jim Corbett National Park- Flora and Fauna

Spread across an area of around 521 square kilometers, Corbett has a wide variety of flora and fauna here. The area under the park has a varying topography which includes hills, plains, riverine belts, lakes and marshy swamps. The natural habitat of the flora and fauna here varies according to these geographic differences. Such a wide diverse range of habitats is one of the major reasons that every year the park attracts so many tourists and nature enthusiasts from all across the globe. The park is home to 110 tree species, 50 species of mammals, 580 bird species and 25 reptile species.

Sal forests are found in most of the regions inside the park. Sal, Khair and Sissoo trees are ubiquitous here in Corbett. There are 488 plant species found inside the park. The park is divided into large grasslands and dark dense forests. Plants like Male Bamboo, Kachnar, Semal, Madar or Indian Coral, Teak, Silver Oak, Eucalyptus, Jacaranda, Bottlebrush, Ber and Jhau are the species that contribute to the lush greenery here. The flora here includes grasslands, trees, shrubs, flowering plants and bamboos. Chir Pine is the only conifer found in this region. The park is divided into many tourist zones : the Bijrani zone, the Dhikala zone, the Jhirna zone, the Durga Devi zone and the Dhela zone. Tourists visiting the place can easily make out the difference in the topography and the flora inside the park as per the zone. Such an exquisite form of nature adds up to the safari experience inside the park. Jeep safaris are the most preferable means of exploring the unrevealed mysteries of the Jim Corbett National Park.

The prior focus of the forest management is to protect wildlife inside the Jim Corbett National Park and promote ecotourism. Basically, the park is a tiger reserve which works under a government initiative, namely ‘Project Tiger’, to help maintain the number of the national animal of India. Though the park is popular among the tourists for its resident, the Royal Bengal Tiger, there are many other fauna species found here. The park houses over 164 tigers and 600 elephants. The elephants are mainly found in the grasslands of the Dhikala zone and the tigers and birds can be found amidst the dense forest regions inside the park. The animals found here include the Royal Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Elephant, Ghariyal, Asiatic Black Bear, Hog Deer, Walking Deer, Sambar, Sloth Bear, Yellow-throated Marten, Otter, Leopard, Indian Python and other members of the cat family, Indian Grey Mongoose, Himalayan Goral, Indian Pangolin, Langur, Rhesus Monkey and and uncountable number of rare species.

Every year, the park attracts a huge number of bird watchers and photographers as it comprises of around 600 avian species. The birds here are either resident or migratory, including Great Pied Hornbill, White-backed Vulture, Hodgson’s Bushchat, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Pallas Fish Eagle, Golden Oriole, Scarlet Minivet and many owl species. The park also provides home to reptiles like Gharial, Crocodile, King Cobra, etc. Amphibians, fishes and dragonflies are some other animal species that are often seen inside the park.