Jim Corbett National Park-India’s Living Legacy of Wildlife Conservation

G L Khajuria

Jim Corbett National Park is nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India. This park is one of the most celebrated wildlife sanctuaries in Asia. Established in 1936 as Hailey National Park,It is the country’s oldest national park and was renamed in 1957 to honor Edward James Corbett, the legendary hunter-turned-conservationist whose efforts laid the foundation for modern conservation in India.

The land that became Corbett was once part of the princely state of Tehri Garhwal, later ceded to the British in the 19th century.Initially, the forests were exploited for timber and cleared for settlements. The Boksas tribe cultivated the land until they were evicted in the 1860s under British rule.Conservation efforts began under Major Ramsay in the mid-19th centur