About Book
Jim Corbett was every inch a hero, something like a "sahib" Davy Crockett: expert in the ways of the jungle, fearless in the pursuit of man-eating big cats, and above all a crack shot. Brought up on a hill-station in north-west India, he killed his first leopard before he was nine and went on to achieve a legendary reputation as a hunter. Corbett was also an author of great renown. His books on the man-eating tigers he once tracked are not only established classics, but have by themselves created almost a separate literary genre. Man Eaters of Kumaon is the best known of Corbett's books, one which offers ten fascinating and spine-tingling tales of pursuing and shooting tigers in the Indian Himalayas during the early years of this century. The stories also offer first-hand information about the exotic flora, fauna, and village life in this obscure and treacherous region of India, making it as interesting a travelogue as it is a compelling look at a bygone era of big-game hunting.
About Author
Jim Corbett was a hunter and naturalist who later became an advocate for protecting India’s threatened wildlife by establishing nature reserves. He wrote many books that recount his hunting down man-eaters in the dense jungles of Northern India.
Other books by Corbett include The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag, Jungle Lore, My India, and The Temple Tiger and More Man-Eaters of Kumaon.
A skilled hunter, Corbett was often called in by local officials whenever there was a menace of man-eating cats. Between the years 1907 and 1938, Corbett tracked down and killed a total of 33 man-eaters - 19 tigers and 14 leopards. These animals are believed to have been responsible for the deaths of around 1200 people. Corbett was also an avid naturalist who preferred to shoot with his camera rather than his guns. All his books contain vivid descriptions of the plant and animal life of the region as he tracked down the man-eaters. Jim Corbett became a vocal advocate for the cause of conservation of wildlife. He educated children on the need to preserve their natural heritage and the importance of forests and wildlife. He was one of the main forces behind the establishment of India’s first National Park, The Hailey National Park in the Kumaon hills. After his death, this park was renamed as “Jim Corbett National Park”.