| |
| Introduction
|
Corbett has aptly been described as the land of the Roar,
Trumpet and Song. It represents a scene of remarkable beauty.
Corbett had the proud distinction of being chosen as the venue
for the inauguration of Project Tiger in India. The rich biodiversity
of the Reserve is partly attributed to the variety of habitat
found here. Due to the location of the Reserve in the foothills
of the Central Himalayas both Himalayan and peninsular flora
and fauna is found in the Reserve.
The grasslands are locally known as Chaurs, are limited. The
largest grassland is the Dhikala Chaur. Some of the best grasslands
including the famous Buxar Chaur and the Beri Chaur got submerged
under the Ramganga reservoir in  1974.
The areas made available as a result of the relocation of
the villages, Dhara, Jhirna and Kothirau in 1994 are being
developed into grasslands through habitat management.
The Ramganga reservoir which came into being in 1974 stretches
over an area of around 82 sq. km. with one half each in Corbett
National Park and Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Corbett Tiger Reserve has a great variety of fauna on
account of habitat diversity. It is very rich in avifauna.
Zoological Survey of India has recorded over 585 species of
resident and migratory birds here. |
|
|
| Conservation
History
|
The
Reserve area was named as 'Hailey National Park' in 1936.
This was renamed in 1954-55 as 'Ramganga National Park' and
again in 1955-56 as  'Corbett
National Park'. Its the oldest National Park of India. It
was one of the nine Tiger Reserves created at the launch of
the Project Tiger in 1973. The original area of the Park was
323.75 sq. km. to which 197.07 sq. km. was added later. An
area of 797.72 sq. km. was added as buffer of the Corbett
Tiger Reserve in 1991. This area includes the whole of Kalagarh
Forest Division (including 301.18 sq. km. area of Sonanadi
Wildlife Sanctuary), 96.70 sq. km. of Ramnagar Forest Division
and 89 sq. km. The administrative control over the entire
area is that of the Field Director of the Reserve.
|
|
|
| Census |
|
Wild
Species
|
1993
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
1997
|
Tiger
|
123
|
128
|
134
|
--
|
138
|
Panther
|
100
|
102
|
110
|
--
|
109
|
Elephant
|
417
|
--
|
502
|
--
|
746
|
Cheetal
|
36525
|
--
|
31919
|
--
|
--
|
Sambar
|
5576
|
--
|
5695
|
--
|
5757
|
Barking
Deer
|
2262
|
--
|
2271
|
--
|
2229
|
Hog
Deer
|
292
|
--
|
294
|
--
|
477
|
Bear
|
54
|
--
|
58
|
--
|
40
|
Wild
Boar
|
7670
|
--
|
7711
|
--
|
7906
|
Ghariyal
|
224
|
--
|
123
|
--
|
283
|
Mugar
|
118
|
--
|
119
|
--
|
301
|
Ghoral
|
424
|
--
|
433
|
--
|
451
|
Monkey
|
12663
|
--
|
12574
|
--
|
12764
|
Langur
|
14091
|
--
|
14187
|
--
|
14300
|
Blue
Bull
|
--
|
--
|
313
|
--
|
466
|
|
Offence
Cases
|
|
Year
|
Total
Case
|
| 1993-1994 |
189 |
| 1994-1995 |
261 |
| 1995-1996 |
363 |
| 1996-1997 |
350 |
| 1997-1998 |
335 |
|
|
|
|
Information not available
|
|
|
|
Forest
Types |
|
Northern
Moist Deciduous,
Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous,
Himalayan Subtropical Pine Forests
|
|
Major
Flora
Main
Species
Sal,
Khair, Sissoo,
Ber, Kuthber,
Bel, Chbilla,
Dhak, Semal,
Khingan, Kharpat,
Rohini, Bakli,
Pula and Bamboo
Major
Fauna
Main Species
Mammals:
Tiger,
Leopard, Elephant,
Cheetal
, Sambar
,
Hog Deer, Barking
Deer , Wildboar
Langoor And Rhesus Monkey.
Birds
: Peacock,
Jungle Fowl,
Partridges, Kaleej,
Crow, Vulture,
Parakeets,
Laughing Thrush,
Orioles, King
Fishers, Drongo,
Doves,
Woodpeckers, Ducks,
Teals,
Storks,
Cormorants
and Seagulls .
Reptile :
Indian Marsh Crocodiles Or Mugger , Gharials
, King
Cobra,
Common Krait , Cobra,
Russel , Python
and Monitor Lizard .
Pisces :
Mahaseer
, Kalimuchi
, Kalabasu
, Chilwa
and Goonch.
|
|
|
|
Management |
|
The
main focus of the management is on protection. The other thrust
areas are habitat and water management. Corbett management
is also focusing on ecotourism.
|
|
|
| Special
Projects |
|
-
Development
of Interpretive Facilities - Under the aegis of the Indo-US
Sub Commission on Science and Technology, the Wildlife
Institute of India in collaboration with US Fish & Wildlife
Service has initiated a project entitled Planning and
Development of Interpretive Facilities in Corbett National
Park. Corbett
Centre for Conservation - An ambitious Corbett Centre
for Conservation is being developed at Kalagarh on the
boundary of Corbett National Park.
- The
establishment of this facility is one of the major components
of the World Bank aided UP Forestry Project. This centre
will be developed in such a fashion so as to meet the training,
research and extension requirements of the Wildlife Preservation
Organization and the Forest Department of U.P. Construction
of residential and mess facilities for 40 persons is in
progress
|
New Initiatives
Several
important initiatives have been taken by the Corbett Tiger
Reserve management during the last five years.
Eco-development
The
UP Forest Department has formulated guidelines on eco-development.
Eco-development forms one of the important components under
the World Bank aided UP Forestry Project. Eco-development
Committees are being formed in villages situated in the peripheral
areas of Corbett Tiger Reserve. So far, twelve eco-development
committees have been formed.
A
Spearhead Team for CTR was trained by WII during October,
1997. With the help of this team, staff, NGOs and Eco-development
Committee members are being trained in participatory methods
for microplanning and monitoring at Corbett Centre for Conservation
by conducting workshops and study tours. During 1998, two
cluster workshops were conducted for field staff from protected
areas (PAs) of Uttarakhand. Seven Spearhead Team from different
PAs of UP were trained in Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)
methodology and technique of microplanning. EDC members from
22 villages were trained in three workshops so as to enable
them to discharge their responsibilities effectively. Several
workshops have also been conducted at village and range level
as part of the microplanning process. Booklets in Hindi on
different aspects of eco-development are being brought out
as resource material for these workshops. Jaiv Vividhata
Sanrakshan main Sahabhagita Kyon Aur Kaise and Microplanning
Vidhi Aur Prarup have already been published and operational
guidelines for eco-development are being prepared. The first
microplan was prepared for Dhikolia village in December 1997
under the supervision of the Wildlife Institute of India,
Dehradun. Subsequently, three more microplans were prepared
for Dhela, Dhikuli and Ringora villages. The programme is
being implemented in these four villages. Microplanning is
in advanced stages of completion in another eight villages.
Nature Guide Programme
In 1993, a training course of two and a half-month duration
was organised for 25 educated unemployed youth. The participants
were trained in natural history, visitor management and park
interpretation and subsequently registered as nature guides
in Corbett. Shortage of guides led to the organization of
a second course in 1995 in which another batch of 25 youth
received training.
The establishment of the guide service has convincingly demonstrated
that Corbett has the potential to provide economic benefits
to the local people through such linkages. An additional benefit
has been that Reserve staff who used to be preoccupied with
the duty of guiding the visitors is now free to carry management
activities.
Eco-tourism
Workshops of various stakeholders connected with ecotourism
in Corbett, Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary and Garhwal region have
been organised to develop understanding and agreement between
different stakeholders so as to ensure biodiversity conservation
and maximize benefits to the local communities.
Voluntary Support
The Government of Uttar Pradesh has authorized the Directors
of National Parks to accept voluntary gifts from visitors
and NGOs. The Director maintains an account of the gifts received
and send information to the Government.
Stone Masonry Wall
The
Central Government has sanctioned Rs.141.00 lakhs for the
construction of a 12-km. long stone masonry wall on the southern
boundary of Corbett where it comes in direct contact with
agricultural fields.
NGO Support
NGOs
have come forward to assist Corbett in strengthening protection
measures.
Education and Awareness
Visitor
Centre - A visitor centre has been constructed to commemorate
the  Diamond
Jubilee of Corbett National Park at Dhangarhi, the main entrance
to Corbett National Park. This centre is being used to organize
activities for both children and the villagers and provide
information to the visitors. Interpretive facilities will
be developed in the visitor centre as part of the Indo-US
collaborative project on interpretation.
Corbett
Newsletter - Corbett National Park became the first NP of
India to have its own in-house magazine when the Corbett newsletter
was first launched in April 1994. It is a quarterly publication
with alternate issue in Hindi and English. The newsletter
contains reports on incidents and activities in Corbett, policy
changes and management initiatives and in depth articles on
wildlife conservation specially those related to tiger. The
Hindi edition is distributed free of cost to the villagers,
school children and staff.
|
|
|
| Constraints
|
Fire :
|
S.No
|
Year
|
Area Burnt (in Ha.)
|
Area burnt in percentage (%)
|
| 20. |
1992-93 |
72.00 |
0.05 |
| 21. |
1993-94 |
440.00 |
0.33 |
| 22. |
1994-95 |
4645.00 |
3.52 |
| 23. |
1995-96 |
1040.00 |
0.79 |
| 24. |
1996-97 |
41.00 |
0.03 |
| 25. |
1998-99* |
41.00 |
0.014 |
| |
*Till 30 June 98 |
|
|
Poaching of fauna and flora :
|
Year
|
Timber
|
Poaching
|
Fishing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1993-94
|
115
|
05
|
05
|
|
1994-95
|
138
|
08
|
07
|
|
1995-96
|
181
|
08
|
23
|
|
1996-97
|
153
|
21
|
11
|
|
1997-98
|
162
|
12
|
16
|
Human population
There
is no village inside the Tiger Reserve. There are 92 villages
at the distance of 2-3 km. from the boundary of Tiger Reserve.
The human population of these villages is around 65,982.
Livestock population
Livestock
population of 92 villages around the reserve is 44,416.
Highways
No
Highway passes through the Reserve. There is a State Highway
(Moradabad-Tehari S.H.No.4) lying on the Eastern boundary
of Corbett Tiger Reserve from Ramnagar to Marchula for about
35 km.
Encroachment
There
is total encroachment of 13.62 ha. by 74 families.
Weeds
The
spread of exotic weeds such as Lantana, Parthenium and Cassia
species is posing a major threat to the habitat. Vast stretches
of the Reserve are choked with Lantana growth. Parthenium
is invading fresh areas aggressively.
Dam
The
construction of the multipurpose dam at Kalagarh across the
Ramganga river in 1974 led to the submergence of 80 sq. km.
of prime low lying riverine area, which abounded in ungulates
and predators including tigers. As a result swamp deer has
become locally extinct and there is a great reduction in the
population of hog deer. Over the years, the reservoir has
led to an increase in the number of aquatic fauna including
muggers. The reservoir now provides an additional habitat
for winter migrants.
|
|
|
| Conflicts |
|
Man-Animal
Cattle
lifting by tiger and leopard takes places. There have been
cases of poisoning of cattle kill carcasses by villagers.
Man-Forest
People
in the villages around the reserve exploitation natural sources
by way of cutting of trees and grasses.
|
|
|
| Action
Points
|
| |
|
|
1.
|
Magisterial
power to officers |
|
2.
|
More
vehicles: 4 wheelers for Range Officers and 2 Wheelers
for Deputy Ranger/Forester. |
|
3.
|
Wireless
network to forest guard level |
|
4.
|
More
support such as house, education for children, drinking
water, medical care for staff |
|
5.
|
Increase
in patrolling/anti-poaching activities |
|
6.
|
Special
allowance for staff |
|
7.
|
Rewards
for staff (like Governor's medal, President's Medal) |
|
8.
|
Intelligence
fund |
|
9.
|
Smooth
flow of funds |
|
10.
|
Sensitization
of Police/Administration/Judiciary etc. |
|
11.
|
Filling
up of vacancies |
| |
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