Straddling the two hill districts of Pauri and Nainital (in the Uttarakhand region of U.P.), lies India’s first National Park, named after the legendary hunter turned conservationist Jim Corbett, who along with another British soldier Major Ramsay was primarily responsible for earmarking the area of the park. The park is richly endowed with the bounties of nature both in flora and fauna.

It was in 1935 that the, then Governor of the United Provinces, Mr. Malcolm Hailey earmarked 257 km for this park under the United Province National Parks Act, which inadvertently paved the way for active wildlife conservation and the emergence of the concept of wildlife parks. The park was initially named as Hailey National Park. In 1954, it was renamed as the Ramganga National Park after the river Ramganga whose middle reaches pass through the park and which is the only source of perennial water. It was only in 1956 - 57 that it got its present name, honoring a man who was a pioneer of wildlife conservation in India. A major attraction of this park is the museum, which charts the life and exploits of this extraordinary man, at his former home at Kawadhungi (32 km from Ramnagar).

The park covers an area of 322 /600 sq. kms. Elevation within the park ranges from 400 mts. to 120 mts. It’s area extends from the outer Himalayas to the foot hills of the Middle Himalayas. The Park is traditionally divided into a number of divisions known as "Chauds" like the Kinnauli, Bijarani, Paterpani, Mohanpani etc. The most popular among them is the ‘Dhikala chaud’ which is a favorite haunt of the tourist. It is home to the popular ‘Dhikala camp’ wildlife such as Chital which can be seen from the camp itself.

The park area is richly endowed with lush and luxuriant vegetation. In the lower hilly region grow Sal forests and along the river grow the Shisham and Khair However the winding strips of alluvial grasslands locally known as Chaurs (to the west of Dhikala) which were the grazing ground for the resident wildlife were swept away after the commissioning of the Kalagarh Dam. However an 80 sq. km lake - the Kalagarh lake was formed after the building of this dam. This lake has proved to be a boon for migratory birds as well as bird watchers besides adding to the scenic beauty of this wondrous park.

The park gained importance as a major Tiger reserve, when the prestigious "Project Tiger" was launched here in 1973. The first 20 years of this project witnessed a prodigious growth in the number of tigers in this reserve - nearly 50% establishing and proving the efficacy of this project and the sincerity of the wardens of the park. The park however gained notoriety when some of the tigers turned man hunters. However the wildlife and forest authorities have tried to control the underlying causes which force tigers to turn into manhunters.

The abundance of water and vegetation together helps support a large population (200 to 300) of elephants (Elehphas Maximus). If instigated these elephants have proved to be dangerous to humans. It is advisable to view them from far.

Besides the tiger and the elephants there are nearly 50 species of mammals found here. Prominent among them are - Chital (Spotted Deer) numbering nearly 16,801(1987 census) Kakkar (Barking deer) numbering 1000 (1987 census) Sambar numbering 2485 (1987 census), Leopard numbering 42 (1987 census), Sloth bear numbering 27 (1987 census), Common otter numbering 400 (1987 census), Hog deer numbering 340 (1987 census) etc.

Besides these animals various kinds of cats are found here e.g. the Leopard cat, jungle cat, fishing cat etc. However inundation of much of the grasslands has led to the reduction in the population of the Hog deer, Spotted deer and the Indian porcupine. The Swamp deer, which was also found here, has become locally extinct.

The ample water resources of the park attract a large number of migratory birds both during the summer and winter months. Nearly 600 species of birds can be found here. Notable among them are the Black throated Baya, Common Hyna, Gulla, Hooren, Herons.Egrets Darter etc. The Gharial and Crocodile are also found here.

The park is open to visitors from 15 Nov to 15 June. The rainy season witnesses' heavy rainfall between 1400 mm to 2800 mm. The weather remains humid throughout the year. In summers the temperature can rise upto 44⁰C and the hot winds blow between 10 A.M. and 8 P.M. Winters are relatively cold, with the minimum dropping to 5⁰C. If you are a keen photographer, the ideal period to visit the park is in April - June.

The main administrative centre of the park is at Ramnagar, which is 250 km north east of Delhi. Bus services to Ramnagar are available from Nainital,
Haldwani, Ranikhet and Delhi. Fast trains are available upto Moradabad. The nearest airport is at Pantnagar (80-km southeast).

The park can be accessed through a number of gates. Prominent among them is 1 km from Ramnagar, on the road to the Byrari camp. The DHANGARH gate can access the popular Dhikala camp.

To traverse and explore the park, jeeps provide an ideal mode of transport and are available on hire at Ramnagar. Conducted tour buses are also available. There is also a bus service between Ramnagar and Dhikala. However for the more adventurous, elephants guided by expert mahouts are also available. Information regarding accommodation is available at the Park Information Centre at Ramnagar.

2) Chief Wildlife Warden, Govt. of Uttarakhand,
Dehradun,Uttarakhand