In the early 1900s several Britishers, including E. R. Stevans and E. A. Smythies, suggested the idea of setting up of a national park on this soil. A reserve area known as Hailey National Park covering 323.75 km2 (125.00 sq mi) was created in 1936 when Sir Malcolm Hailey was Governor of United Provinces, and Asia�s first national park came into existence. The reserve was renamed in 195455 as Ramganga National Park and was again renamed in 195556 as Corbett National Park.
The new name honours the well-known author and wildlife conservationist JimCorbett, who played a key role in creating the reserve by using his influence to persuade the provincial government to establish it. The present area of the Reserve is 1,318.54 square kilometres (509.09 sq mi) including 520 square kilometres (200 sq mi) of core area and 797.72 square kilometres (308.00 sq mi) of buffer area. The core area forms the JimCorbett National Park while the buffer contains reserve forests (496.54 square kilometres (191.72 sq mil.) as well as the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary (301.18 square kilometres (116.29 sq mil.).
Flora and Fauna � A total of 488 different species of plants have been recorded in the park. Over 586 species of resident and migratory birds have been categorized, including the crested serpent eagle, blossom-headed parakeet and the red junglefowl ancestor of all domestic fowl. 33 species of reptiles, seven species of amphibians, seven species of fish and 36 species of dragonflies have also been recorded Thick jungle, the Ramganga River, and plentiful prey make this reserve an ideal habitat for tigers who are opportunistic feeders and prey upon a range of animals like chital, sambhar, barking deer, buffalo and even elephant for food. Leopards are found in hilly areas but may also venture into the low land jungles. Small cats in the park include the jungle cat, fishing cat and leopard cat. Other mammals include barking deer, sambhar deer, hog deer and chital, Sloth and Himalayan black bears, Indian grey mongoose, otters, yellow-throated martens, Himalayan goral, Indian pangolins, and langur and Rhesus macaques. Owls and Nightjars can be heard during the night.
Indian elephants can be seen in herds of several hundred specially in the summer. Elephant Bulls can be often sighted on roads of JimCorbett National Park. The Indian python can be seen lazing in winter afternoons. Crocodiles and a wide variety of fishes speacially the Mahaser are abundant in the Ramganga river.
