Renowned for its tigers, Corbett National Park is situated approximately 200 miles north-east of Delhi in the Himalayan foothills of Uttartranchal. Once a popular hunting ground of the British, this 201 square mile park was named in honour of the late Jim Corbett, the legendary hunter-naturalist who turned conservationist, author and photographer and whose work and dedication resulted in one of the most famous National Parks in the world. With the help of the World Wildlife Fund, Project Tiger was launched in Corbett National Park in 1973 and this park was one of the first such tiger reserves in the country.

The varied topography comprises hilly and river areas, temporary marshy depressions, plateaus and ravines. The lower areas are almost completely populated by sal trees but altogether there more than 100 species of tree. It is also home to 50 species of mammal, 580 bird species and 25 reptile species.

Corbett is a haven for tigers with its plentiful prey - four kinds of deer, wild boar and smaller animals. Leopards are found in the hilly areas of the park but do not often cross paths with tigers in their territories. Other cats found here are the leopard cat, jungle cat and fishing cat. As well as tigers, elephants are one of the main attractions of Corbett and it is possible to explore the Park on elephant safari - a fantastic opportunity to get really close to the wildlife.

Other wildlife in the Park includes sloth bear which is found in the lower regions of the park while the Himalayan black bear is seen in the higher hills only. The dhole (wild dog), though rare, can be seen in the southern areas of the park along with jackal. Some of the smaller creatures found are Himalayan palm civet, Indian gray mongoose, common otter, blacknaped hare and porcupine. The long-snouted gharial crocodile and the mugger crocodile live along the Ramgana River shores. Also seen on the rocky hillsides is the ghoral (goat-antelopes). Langur and rhesus monkeys are well distributed throughout the park and also warn the jungle with alarm calls when they see either a tiger or leopard from their tree-top perches.

Located in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve covers an area of nearly 2000 square kilometres. The Park is set in a horseshoe shaped valley surrounded by the breathtaking Mekal Hills. The Surpan River runs through the grasslands that cover Khana's extensive plateau. Steep rocky escarpments along the edges offer breathtaking views of the valley. The terrain inside the park is varied with bamboo forests flowing into sal forests and meadows.

Kanha's major attraction is of course the tiger. At Kanha tigers are best observed from elephant back and the open country gives good opportunities for sightings. The park also supports much other wildlife including leopard, jungle cat and hyena. It is home to spotted deer, black buck and nilgai as well as the majestic gaur or Indian bison. There are shy barking deer whose characteristic sound warns other inhabitants of the forest that a predator is on the prowl and the rare barasingha, or swamp deer - at one time there were only 66 of these in Kanha, but careful conservation and management has raised their population to over 400. Other wildlife includes the gray langur, porcupine, mongoose and wild pig. There are at least 175 varieties of birds in Kanha so birdwatchers will never be disappointed.

The thick forest of Bandhavgarh National Park sits in a bowl encircled by cliffs and the wooded Vindhyan mountains. Its plains have a number of grass and reed covered wetlands where kingfishers dive and egrets sit poised in the shallows. Up above, vultures nest in holes in the sheer cliffs. The Bandhavgarh jungle is a living self-sustaining organism providing its own climate, atmosphere, water and nutrition through its recycling systems. Roughly half the Bandhavgarh park is covered with fine trees of Sal, while mixed forests are found in the higher reaches of the hills. Stretches of bamboo and grasslands extend to the north. The main wildlife viewing is still done in the core of the park with its 32 picturesque, wooded hills. Once a hunting reserve of the royal family of Rewa Bandhavgarh was declared a park in 1968.

Bhandhavgarh National Park enjoys the highest density of tiger population in India. The best way to explore the park is by jeep safari, and the best times are early in the morning and during the evening. Elephant safaris are also available for tiger tracking early in the morning.

The park is also famous for its langur and rhesus macaque population. There are around 22 species of mammals including carnivores such as leopard, jungle cat, jackal, bangal fox, sloth bear, mongoose and hyena. Other animals such as wild pig, spotted deer, sambar, the small Indian civet, palm squirrel and lesser bandicoot rats are frequently seen on safari. The reptilian species include cobras, kraits, vipers and pythons. The Park is also home to more than

250 species of birds, the most important among them being peacock, paradise fly catchers, jungle fowl, golden and black headed orioles, yellow ioras, red-vented bulbuls and blue jays as well as many migratory birds that arrive in winter such as the steppe eagle and various water birds.

Situated in Eastern Rajasthan, where the Aravali Hill ranges and the Vindhyan plateau meet, the Ranthambhore National Park was once the hunting preserve of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The rivers Chambal in the South and Banas in the North bound the Ranthambore National Park. Six man made lakes are the central focus of the park and many perennial streams criss-cross the entire park. The Ranthambore National Park has internal drainage and has no link up with any river system, even though two rivers bound the Park in it's north and south side. The landscape is dotted with ancient banyan, dhok and peepal trees, clusters of mango trees and is crisscrossed with evergreen belts. The terrain consists of massive rock formations, steep scarps, perennial lakes and streams with forest suddenly opening up into large areas of savannah. The terrain of Ranthambore National Park fluctuates between debse forests and open bush land. The forest is the typically dry deciduous type, with dhok, being the most prominent tree.

Ranthambore National Park is famous for its tigers and for this reason is a favourite with photographers. Apart from being one of the best places in the country to observe tigers, on safari a visitor can also see large numbers of sambar, chital, nilgai, gazelle, boars, mongoose, Indian hare, monitor lizards and a large number of birds - for a relatively small area, the park has a rich diversity of fauna and flora and the species list includes 300 trees, 50 aquatic plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles and amphibians- including the marsh crocodile - and 30 mammals.

It is also possible to visit the once impregnable Ranthambhore fort that majesticallysits on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Park. The fort, which dates back to the 10th century and is probably the oldest existing fort in Rajasthan, was a vital citadel for control of Central India and particularly the Malwa plateau. The entry point to the Ranthambore National Park, goes straight to the foot of the fort and the forest rest house, Jogi Mahal, once visited.

The Asiatic lion is incredibly rare and is the most endangered large cat species in the world. Sasangir (Gir) National Park in Gujarat is the only place where they can be found in the wild and only approximately 300 remain. They are slightly smaller than the African lion and have a characteristic "fold" of skin in their stomachs; the male has a slightly smaller mane than his African counterpart and Asiatic lions have thicker fur, more prominent elbow tufts and longer tail tufts. They are majestic animals and it is a real privilege to be able to see them in their natural habitat - the rugged terrain of Gir National Park which set in low hills with forests of teak, dhak and acacia and grassy plains crossed by rivers and supported by reservoirs. As well as being the last refuge of the Asiatic lion there is a healthy population of leopoard (panther) and jungle cat, desert cat and the rusty spotted cat may also be seen. Other wildlife includes sambar deer, chital (spotted deer), nilgai (blue bull antelope), chousingha (the only four-horned antelope in the world), chinkara (Indian gazelle) and wild boar. The dam and reservoir supports crocodiles and there are many species of non-venomous snakes such as the Indian rock python along with four venomous varieties - Indian cobra, Russell's viper, common krait and saw scaled viper.

An estimated 300 species of bird are found in Gir, too many to mention here but they include paradise flycatchers, black-headed cuckoo shrike, pied Woodpecker, Bonelli's eagle, crescent serpent eagle, painted sand grouse, bush quail and black-hooded and golden oriels, just to name a few! Nearby is the Rann of Kutch where Indian wild ass and nesting colonies of flamingoes and many other water birds can be found - a wonderful sight amongst the salt flats.

Periyar National Park and Tiger reserve is situated in Kerala, South India, in the Western Ghats. It is a wonderful park to visit with large areas of forested hills merging into the grasslands which surround a huge picturesque lake. As well as tigers, the Park is famous for its huge herds of elephant and it is a fantastic experience to witness them in the wild. Besides the elephant and tiger, other animals commonly seen include gaur (Indian bison), wild boar, sambhar deer, barking deer, mouse deer and Indian wild dog. Primates include the rare lion-tailed macaque, the nilgiri langur, common langur and bonnet macaque. It is also the only habitat of the Nilgiri Tahr but this is a rare sighting.

There are more than 100 species of butterfly and at least 240 bird species in the Park which is surrounded by aromatic spice gardens. There are also many species of bird species including darters, cormorants, kingfishers, the great Malabar hornbill and racket-tailed drongoes. Monitor lizards, pythons and even king cobras are also found here.