Jim Corbett

Edward James 'Jim' Corbett was born on July 25th,kill - the Man-Eating tigress was responsible for more
1875, in Kumaon, that beautiful paradise at thekills than any other single Man-Eater in history - 436!),
foothills of Himalayas. His father Christopher Corbettthe Panar Leopard (400 kills again!), the Rudraprayag
was postmaster of the town Naini Tal, and Jim spentLeopard (perhaps one of the most cunning and lethal
his childhood in an area surrounded by beautifulMan-Eaters of all time who preyed upon Hindu pilgrims
Jungles and dangerous predators. He fell in love withof that region for over a decade!), the Talla-Des
the forest and its animals and since an early age heMan-Eater, the Mohan Man-Eater, the Thak Man-Eater
knew how to mimic animal sounds and track lethaland the Chowgarh Tigers. Those were the times
predators.when over a hundred thousand tigers roamed freely
Whilst being known as a conservationist and bigin India and frankly in many parts it was a matter of
game photographer, Jim Corbett's actual place inwhether the tiger or humans would survive!
history is as one of the best big cat hunters to haveDespite his prolific hunting skills, Jim Corbett never
ever lived ~ don't get me wrong here ~ Jim Corbettkilled an animal for sport. He was a great
was a true gentleman and a great animal lover ~ heconservationist and after his retirement from the
never killed an animal that was not troublesome. Hehunting scene moved to Kenya where he wrote
resorted only to removing those dangerousabout his Indian adventures in seven highly acclaimed
Man-Eaters that terrorized Indian villagers a centurybooks. He died of a heart attack on 19th April 1955
ago. Roaming freely without any hindrance theseand was buried at St. Peter's Anglican Church in Nyeri.
deadly animals governed fear in Indian jungles at thatHe spent most of his later days raising alarm about
time unlike any fear the simple people of thosethe plight of animals in India. In 1957, India's first
forests ever had experienced. People would rathernational park, in the Kumaon region was named in his
die of starvation in their huts than venture out in thehonor. In 1968 one of the five remaining subspecies
open where the tigers growled and cunning leopardsof tigers was named after him: Panthera Tigris
lay in waiting.Corbetti, better known as Corbett's Tiger.
Between the years 1907 and 1938, Jim Corbett killedBelow are his books:
nearly a dozen Man-Eaters in India - predators who* Man-eaters of Kumaon
are estimated to have killed at least 1500 people* The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag
during their reign of terror. Jim Corbett always took* My India
on the most dangerous animals - when everybody* Jungle Lore
else had quit and all hope was lost. He hunted alone* The Temple Tiger and more man-eaters of
and routinely came within five to ten metres of theKumaon
Man-Eater before killing it. His keen senses enabled* Tree Tops
him to outdo the most cunning of those lethal cats,* Man-Eaters of Kumaon and The Temple Tiger
that included the Champawat Tigress (his very firstMay the great man rest in eternal peace.