Corbett National Park: Domain of the Wild

Corbett—Domain of the wild is designed to take the reader on a journey through the wilderness of Corbett National Park. Beautiful photographs and well-researched, complementing text has culminated into a coffee-table book that is a visual delight and a good informative read. The foreword has been written by Bittu Sahgal, editor, Sanctuary Asia magazine, one of India’s most clear and loud voice on issues of conservation and wildlife.

Corbett National Park has often been referred to as the land of “trumpet and roar. "A land unchanged through the ages, time has almost stood still here as the cycle of birth, survival and death has played out millions of times in the forest, rivers, grasslands and plains of Corbett. Deer and wild boar gather in their multitude on the grasslands to graze. Elephants migrate in search of food along memorized migratory routes and the keen eye of the predator sees all and misses nothing. Home of the majestic tiger, elephant, leopards, crocodile, deer and a large array of smaller mammals with over 580 species of birds, Corbett National park is a treasure trove to discover wild India.

The book is divided into three informal sections. The first part deals with the history of the area, the impact of unregulated hunting, trophy hunters of the raj era. Large scale deforestation that took a toll on the forests and the wild animals. And finally, the dawn of conservation consciousness that eventually resulted into a decision to set aside this wilderness as the first National Park in India. The second part gives a glimpse of the beauty that is Corbett; with its magnificent wildlife from the largest land mammals to the smallest insects. Corbett is home to the Bengal tiger, the Asian elephant, four species of deer, varied smaller mammals, reptiles and a large number of bird species. The last section looks at the threats to our precious environment and wildlife and ends with a note on India’s responsibility as a ‘global citizen and custodian’ of the world’s largest population of tigers and many other forms of wild life threatened worldwide. Whether you are visiting Corbett or just interested in wildlife, Corbett—Domain of the Wild is an aesthetically put together book that is a visual delight and it can also double up as a field guide.