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Edward James Corbett: The man who saved men from tiger, and tigers from men

By Newsd
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Edward James Corbett: The man who saved men from tiger, and tigers from men

Almost everyone who has a fair idea about the Jim Corbett National Park is well aware of the fact that the park has been named after Edward James Corbett. On the occasion of his death anniversary, lets dive deep into his many contribution towards wildlife conservation and establishment of beautiful Jim Corbett National Park.

From a hunter to a conservationist 

Edward ‘Jim’ Corbett was born on July 25, 1875 in Nainital, Kumaon district of Uttarakhand. His father William was the postmaster of the town.

He grew up to be a tall, slim, attractive blue-eyed man with exceptional eyesight, hearing and powers of observation, and was known for his modesty, kindness and generosity, and beloved by all. At an early age he spent nights alone in the jungle becoming familiar with the creatures of the jungle and their movements and habits.

Corbett was a colonel in the British Indian Army and was known for the hunting of man eating leopards and tigers. Between 1907 and 1938 Edward shot around 19 tigers and 14 leopards. As per the historical facts, these wild cats turned into man-eaters and killed over 1200 people.

He was frequently called upon mainly in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in places which were preyed by a large number of man-eating tigers and leopards.

Despite developing these skills as a hunter, his interactions with nature left him with a deep respect for the animal world, especially tigers and big cats.

The British-Indian hunter and tracker-turned-conservationist, author and naturalist was of great help. Edward James Corbett did much more than just lending a helping hand in the establishment of a national park. As soon as he understood that there is a need to protect the big cats, he made all possible efforts to make the people aware about wildlife and how they are important to our national heritage.

He promoted the foundation of Association for the Preservation of Game in the United Provinces and the All-India Conference for the Preservation of Wildlife. Subsequently, as we all know, he played a key role in establishing the Jim Corbett National Park.

Besides, he wrote various books describing the beauty of India and Indian Wildlife. Some of his great works are:

  • Jungle Stories, privately published, 1935
  • Man-Eaters of Kumaon, Oxford University Press, Bombay 1944
  • The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag, Oxford University Press, 1947
  • My India, Oxford University Press, 1952
  • Jungle Lore, Oxford University Press, 1953

It is this love for nature that led to the naming of the Jim Corbett National Park, the famous tiger reserve in Uttarakhand, after him.

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