Corbett National Park

Corbett National Park, established in 1936, holds the distinction of being the first national park in mainland Asia. The Park, covering an area of 122 square miles (about 312 sq.km), was first named as Hailey National Park. After independence, in 1952, the name was changed to Ramganga National Park. Then in 1957, the park was christened as Corbett National Park as a tribute to the legendary Jim Corbett. Its geographical location between the Himalayas and the terai regions, and the streams, rivers and ridges crisscrossing the terrain, endow Corbett with a remarkable variety of habitats.

The Ramganga river forms the most prominent hydrological resource, supplemented by its tributaries, most prominent of which are the Sonanadi, Mandal and Palain rivers. The river Kosi runs proximate to the park and is also a significant water resource for nearby areas. Most of the park lies in the Outer-Himalayan or Shiwalik region. The Shiwaliks are the southernmost of the Himalayan ranges and are much lower than the Lesser Himalayas. They are formed of sedimentary rocks, and hence are crumbly and unstable. The Shiwaliks form the largest ridge across the park, running east to west from Dhangarhi to Kalagarh. These ridges are covered by sal forests.

The southern boundary of Corbett flanks the ecologically important terai-bhabar region, a strip of land skirting the southern part of the Shiwaliks. It consists of the bhabar region, a narrow belt of sloping land located at the outer margin of Shiwaliks, and the terai swamplands that lie further south of bhabar. The bhabar tract is porous because it consists mainly of gravel and boulders. It is devoid of streams or springs and the water table is quite low. In contrast, the terai is swampy and humid, and contains many springs and slow- lowing streams. Most of the terai once held dense vegetation and was feared for malaria. It has been cleared for agriculture and is one of the most fertile grain production areas of India.

Between the Himalayan and Shiwalik mountain ranges lie elongated valleys called duns. Unlike typical river valleys, duns are formed not due to erosion, but have a structural origin. They are covered with boulders and gravel originating from the erosion of the Himalayas and the Shiwalik uplands. One such dun occurs in the northern half of Corbett. This is the Patli Dun and is most clearly visible from Dhikala. Kanda, being higher in the park, presents a panoramic view of this valley.