Curiosity or anger, it was hard to tell, but full-grown or not, we kept our distance. Though rich in wildlife and with unsurpassed scenic beauty, Corbett National Park is not quite as popular as some of India s 14 other national parks. But its seclusion and lack of a large commercial presence make Corbett a much more pleasurable experience. Once inside the park, a single winding road takes you to the small village of Dhikala where housing and limited food is available. Just outside the perimeter of the village is a watchtower that you are allowed to walk to- mind you, only during daylight hours.
Tigers own the night and it is unwise, as one park official put it, to walk about after dark.
Here in Corbett, humans are not the apex of the food chain. The watchtower, once safely up in its fifty-plus foot platform provides an excellent view of the expansive floodplain of the Ramnaga River. While looking you ll end up absorbing a spectacular array of wildlife that is incomparable to most places in the world. In 1973 the World Wildlife Fund created Project Tiger with its goals to save the Bengal Tiger from the brink of extinction and provide a safe environment for them to thrive. Though increasing in numbers, the overwhelming success of the project has yet to be recognized, as forces working against the tiger are so dominant.