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Vegetation Ecology and Climate


A majority of the vegetation in Corbett consists of Sal trees (Shorea robusta), mainly in the lower regions. The higher regions have a larger variety of plants and trees. Some of these are the Chir (Pinus roxburghii), anauri (Legestroemia paruiflora) and Bakli (Anogeissus latifolia). Also found in various parts of the park are many different varieties of bamboo. One plant, (actually a weed) which is a major irritant to the park authorities and is widespread in the jungle is the Lantana. The park authorities, as well as the rest of the vegetation, are fighting a constant battle against this weed choking up the entire jungle floor.

Even the Khair, Sissoo trees growing on these islands reach out upwards for air. In the summer months, a majority of the jungle gets covered by the falling, dry, orangish leaves of the sal. It is quite a spectacular sight but once again, as with the Gorkha Sot, a major headache for park authorities.

These dry leaves are a major fire hazard. Sometimes fires occur due to lightning and in many cases, by human negligence. It is therefore extremely important for smokers to make sure they do not smoke cigarrettes outside the rest house premises. It could even result in the loss of their own lives. The entire jungle is extremely dry in the summer months as the temperatures reach as high as 44 degrees centigrade, which is the other extreme of the 2 – 4 degrees it plummets to in the winters.

Towards the end of the summers, the jungle, as well as the park authorities, eagerly wait for the onset of the monsoon season. Major portions of the park were burnt during the forest fires of 1999. Treks during the tiger census that year were made through many fields of black soot like the hills opposite the Gairal forest rest house. The park bounced back with a vengeance, with the forest greener than ever before. It did this by using the ash as a much-needed manure, soaked into the soil by the plentiful rains, which out here, annually average 1400 – 2800 mm.

Burnt Hillsides during Tiger Census
Corbett park also has many vast grasslands. These grasslands are excellent areas for wildlife viewing, although animals like the tiger seldom venture across them in daylight hours. It is possible to see all kinds of deer in very large numbers during the summer months when the grass is not very tall and dense. These grasslands are also frequented a lot by large herds of elephants. Two of the more popular "chaurs", as they are locally known, are the Dhikala and Khinanauli chaurs.

Dhikala Chaur