Tiger Habitat
The
Ramganga valley once supported an ancient, relatively unstudied civilisation.
Vestiges of their existence can be seen in the form of terra cotta remains and
temple ruins that lie along the river. The community seems to have been a farming
one that had worked hard at clearing parts of the jungle for agriculture. But
theirs seemed to be a losing battle against a forest that would cyclically reclaim
its lands. Sal Shorea robusta forests once grew all the way from Punjab to Assam.
But humans encroached the jungles, and by the time Jim Corbett arrived on the
scene, most of these forests had already been cleared. Nevertheless, this was
still a favourite shikar area and many animal trophies that decorated the walls
of British soldiers and officers in North India came from these parts. Timber
to feed the insatiable demands of the British government also came from here and
it was only when Major Ramsay, a British officer with vision and sensitivity,
called a halt to the destruction that the combined havoc of cultivation, grazing
and timberfelling came to an end.
Years later, E.A. Smythies of the Imperial
Forest Service tentatively proposed the declaration of the area as a National
Park, and in 1936, it was finally notified as the Hailey National Park, named
after Governor Hailey of the United Provinces. After India gained her Independence
from the British, the name was changed to Ramganga National Park in 1952. In 1957,
officers and locals who knew just what a major role Jim Corbett had played in
protecting the forest, marking its boundaries and championing the protection of
the animals of the Ramganga, asked for it to be renamed after the legendary hunter-conservationist.
Many of Jim Corbett's enthralling tales, including the Maneaters of Kumaon and
the Maneating Leopard of Rudraprayag originated in these famous Kumaon hills,
where the shikari used to hunt wild animals, until F. W. Champion, who pioneered
wildlife photography in India, taught him to appreciate living tigers.
Eventually Gentleman Jim put his guns down in favour of the camera; and that is
the example that all humans who venture into this magnificent Park must now emulate.
The forest was re-christened the Corbett National Park in 1957. By the 1970s it
was apparent that the tiger was in trouble and that less than 2,000 animals survived
in the wild. Project
Tiger
was thus set up in April 1973 to protect the tiger and its habitat. Appropriately,
the Corbett Tiger Reserve was the location for the launch of Project Tiger.
Forests Predominantly sa/. The following forest types are found
within the reserve.Northern Moist Deciduous Forests - Moist Shiwalik sa/, moist
bhabar dun sa/, western Gangetic moist mixed deciduous, alluvial savannah woodland.
Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests - Dry Shiwalik sa/, northern dry
mixed deciduous, khair sissoo.
Himalayan Subtropical Pine Forests - Lower
Shiwalik chir pine.
Grasslands
Locally known as chaurs. It
is estimated that about
one-tenths of the total area of the reserve is under
grass cover. The largest grassland is the Dhikala Chaur. Some of the best areas
under grasslands, including the famous Buxar Chaur and the Beri Chaur, were submerged
by the Ramganga reservoir in 1974. The area made available as a result of the
relocation of the Dhara, Jhirna and Kothirau Chaurs in 1994 is being developed
into grasslands through habitat alteration.
Wetlands 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 highest water level is reached at the end of the monsoon. Water
is released when necessary from the multipurpose hydroelectric dam at Kalagarh
for irrigation and the reservoir shrinks in spread, ultimately being reduced to
a mere 40 sq. km. at the end of the summer. The bare areas temporarily develop
into grasslands.
Riverine Areas The Ramganga river is the lifeline of the Corbett
Tiger Reserve, its principal tributaries being the Mandai, Palain and Sonanadi.
Numerous mountainous streams locally called sots flow into these rivers. The nul/ahs
and ravines are thickly covered with evergreen shrubs and glades, which provide
undisturbed cover for the tiger and ready drinking water. A part of the catchment
of the Kosi river falls within the reserve. There are no other major rivers.
Water Bodies Mailani Tal and Phul Tal located in the Bijrani
Range are stagnant water bodies.
Swamps
Many areas located
along the boundary of the Ramganga reservoir and along springs are swampy, typically
covered withjamun trees and cane, providing good cover for the
tiger to rest
in during the hot summer months.
Tiger
Habitat, Royal Bengal Tiger Reservation Form
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