MAN-EATERS OF KUMAON

In this classic work, Man-Eaters of Kumaon, Jim Corbett chronicles his most legendary hunts for man-eating tigers and leopards that terrorized the villages of the Kumaon region in northern India. A master storyteller, Corbett recounts his firsthand experiences with a variety of infamous beasts that turned from hunters to human predators, often due to injury, old age, or loss of their natural prey. The stories are chilling yet fascinating, as Corbett describes his meticulous methods of tracking, his strategies to confront these dangerous animals, and the emotional toll these hunts took on him. Yet, through it all, Corbett's profound respect for the creatures he pursued is clear. He sees these animals not as monsters, but as victims of circumstance, often driven to kill humans out of necessity or desperation. Beyond the thrilling hunts, Man-Eaters of Kumaon also provides valuable insights into human-wildlife conflict, and the balance that must be struck between conservation and safety. Rich with adventure, suspense, and Corbett's unique understanding of both the predators and the people of Kumaon, this book remains a seminal work in wildlife literature and a testament to Corbett's legacy as both a hunter and a protector of the wild. JIM CORBETT

'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 19th 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 hunting. No one understood the ways of the Indian jungle better than Corbett. A skilled tracker, he preferred to hunt alone and on foot, sometimes accompanied by his small dog Robin. Corbett derived intense happiness from observing wildlife and he was a fervent conservationist as well as a tracker. He empathised with the impoverished people amongst whom he lived, in what is today Uttarakhand, and he established India's first tiger sanctuary there. Corbett's writing is as immediate and accessible today as it was when first published in 1944.

In this classic work, Man-Eaters of Kumaon, Jim Corbett chronicles his most legendary hunts for man-eating tigers and leopards that terrorized the villages of the Kumaon region in northern India. A master storyteller, Corbett recounts his firsthand experiences with a variety of infamous beasts that turned from hunters to human predators, often due to injury, old age, or loss of their natural prey. The stories are chilling yet fascinating, as Corbett describes his meticulous methods of tracking, his strategies to confront these dangerous animals, and the emotional toll these hunts took on him. Yet, through it all, Corbett's profound respect for the creatures he pursued is clear. He sees these animals not as monsters, but as victims of circumstance, often driven to kill humans out of necessity or desperation. Beyond the thrilling hunts, Man-Eaters of Kumaon also provides valuable insights into human-wildlife conflict, and the balance that must be struck between conservation and safety. Rich with adventure, suspense, and Corbett's unique understanding of both the predators and the people of Kumaon, this book remains a seminal work in wildlife literature and a testament to Corbett's legacy as both a hunter and a protector of the wild. JIM CORBETT

This is the Merlin Unwin Books edition and is the only one currently available which contains the iconic Raymond Sheppard illustrations which capture with remarkable verve and accuracy the dramatic highlight of each story. All royalties from the sale of the Merlin Unwin Books hardback edition go to the Corbett tiger reserve in India. The presence of a man-eating tiger in the Indian province of Naini Tal spread fear and panic throughout the impoverished rural community. This tigress had already killed 434 villagers by the time Jim Corbett was approached to track and despatch her in 1907. These thrilling and moving tales are Corbett’s first-hand accounts as, over the ensuing 29 years and at the request of desperate locals, he expertly tracks and kills various specific tigers and leopards which had become man-eaters, driven to this by injury or extreme old age. No one understood the ways of the Indian jungle better than Corbett. A skilled tracker, he preferred to hunt alone and on foot, sometimes accompanied by his small dog Robin. Corbett derived intense happiness from observing wildlife and he was a fervent conservationist as well as a tracker and ace shot. He empathised with the impoverished people amongst whom he lived, in what is today Uttarakhand, and he established India’s first tiger sanctuary there. Corbett’s writing is as immediate and accessible today as it was when first published in 1944.

This is the Merlin Unwin Books edition and is the only one currently available which contains the iconic Raymond Sheppard illustrations which capture with remarkable verve and accuracy the dramatic highlight of each story. All royalties from the sale of the Merlin Unwin Books hardback edition go to the Corbett tiger reserve in India. The presence of a man-eating tiger in the Indian province of Naini Tal spread fear and panic throughout the impoverished rural community. This tigress had already killed 434 villagers by the time Jim Corbett was approached to track and despatch her in 1907. These thrilling and moving tales are Corbett’s first-hand accounts as, over the ensuing 29 years and at the request of desperate locals, he expertly tracks and kills various specific tigers and leopards which had become man-eaters, driven to this by injury or extreme old age. No one understood the ways of the Indian jungle better than Corbett. A skilled tracker, he preferred to hunt alone and on foot, sometimes accompanied by his small dog Robin. Corbett derived intense happiness from observing wildlife and he was a fervent conservationist as well as a tracker and ace shot. He empathised with the impoverished people amongst whom he lived, in what is today Uttarakhand, and he established India’s first tiger sanctuary there. Corbett’s writing is as immediate and accessible today as it was when first published in 1944.

'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 19th 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 hunting. No one understood the ways of the Indian jungle better than Corbett. A skilled tracker, he preferred to hunt alone and on foot, sometimes accompanied by his small dog Robin. Corbett derived intense happiness from observing wildlife and he was a fervent conservationist as well as a tracker. He empathised with the impoverished people amongst whom he lived, in what is today Uttarakhand, and he established India's first tiger sanctuary there. Corbett's writing is as immediate and accessible today as it was when first published in 1944.