JV and THE BIG CATS  



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Against the backdrop of the dwindling tiger populations in the wilds, Tiger Canyons was established 25 km north west of the town of Philippolis on the Van der Kloof Lake in the Karoo of South Africa.

Tiger Canyons is the brainchild of John Varty, a South African conservationist and filmmaker who specializes in Big Cats....read more


Tai truck driver arrested smuggling SIXTEEN tiger cubs who were 'destined to be killed and chopped up for use in traditional Chinese medicine'

Officers discovered the animals, who were one to two years old, packed in eight cages.

The driver, Faren Kongfu, told police he was paid 15,000 baht (£300) to deliver the cubs from a Bangkok suburb to northeastern Udon Thani province on the border with Laos.

Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2224017/Thai-truck-driver-arrested-trying-smuggle-SIXTEEN-tiger-cubs-animal-parts.html#ixzz2BLP7K5Qi


Voronin Big Cat Safari Breaks All Records

  

   

A recent Big Cat Safari with Alex and Tanya Voronin photographed no less than 11 leopards and 9 tigers during their 10 day stay at Londolozi and Tiger Canyons. In addition lion and cheetah of the cats were seen on several occasions as well as 16 hyena cubs at a den site....read more

The Journey to Nowhere


picture: JV
Effectively what I was offering the Eastern Cape, was two high profile tourist attractions in the leopard and the tiger...read more

The John Hume Approach


The Northern White Rhino - Extinct!!
I need to buy a new farm every year, fence it and prepare it for 101 rhinos.  This will cost me currently about R12 million and then to manage, protect and feed them another R2 million per year....read more

Response to Rhino Horn Auction

How sad that Mr Varty chooses this option for our wildlife knowing full well that the once off sale of Ivory to Japan and China has fuelled this Elephant poaching crises that we have today. Tragic that this is what he wants for our rhino....see more

A Letter to John Hume, SA biggest Rhino Breeder

If they do not grant you permission for the auction then you create a global event...read more


Photo Competition

First Prize - Big Cat Safari with John Varty at Londolozi Game Reserve and at Tiger Canyons

Rules:
1) You have to enter only 6 pictures: 3x tiger pictures and 3x leopard pictures
2) Each picture score points out of 10 - winner will be the one with the highest number out of 60. One bad picture will give you a bad score...
3) Pictures can be taken anywhere in the world
4) Picture size: not more than 500KB
5) Closing date: 30th September 2013

Do NOT send more than 3 tiger pictures
Do NOT send more than 3 leopard pictures
Do NOT send only tiger or only leopard pictures
Do NOT send more than 500KB per picture
You will be disqualified!

A Letter to the Prime Minister of India

Mr. Prime Minister, if you genuinely want to save the magnificent tiger, then create parks where guests from all over the world can interact with your tigers the way they interact with leopards at Londolozi....read more

Indian Government - the wrong decision

To deny future generations that heart-stopping moment - when one sights a tiger in the wild - is no solution...read more

What price must beauty pay?

In fact as Fiona Macleod's excellent article shows, lion body parts can be exported legally from South Africa. Therefore it's possible that rhino horn is moving labeled as lion body parts....read more

Very graphic pictures from:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=412365012138664&set=a.412364848805347.85773.396479103727255&type=1&theater

JV recovered from the tiger attack - we do game drives at Tiger Canyons


pic Sunette

Corbett's Freedom

read about JV's decision


Lethal Injection or Freedom?


Corbett (right) with siblings, Sariska and Panna (picture Sunette)

If anyone has an alternative to my proposal, I would welcome any other route. Let's explore every avenue possible....Corbett will be darted and then killed by lethal injection by a professional vet....read more

Read all comments on Facebook: www.facebook.com/tigeralert

or on our blog: www.jvbigcats.blogspot.com


John Varty talks from hospital in Bloemfontein...


The anatomy of an aggressive tiger


Corbett

...I was like a rag doll being ripped as he tried to drag me through the wire into his boma. It struck me that these were my last moments on planet Earth....read more


Daryl Balfour's blog about JV

JOHN VARTY - Conservationist Extraordinaire

My good friend and colleague, John Varty - JV to those who know him - was seriously mauled by a wild tiger at his experimental tiger conservation project near the town of Philippolis in South Africa's Free State province last week.....

http://www.wildphotossafaris.com/1/post/2012/04/john-varty-conservationist-extraordinaire.html

 

Update (31/03)

JV is still in ICU - doctors are happy with his progress.
Corbett is also fine - read more about him


Corbett

JV and Julie

 Road to Recovery (29/03)

We are pleased to announce that John Varty is out of theatre at Bloemfontein Medi Clinic and is recovering from the incident which took place at Tiger Canyons yesterday.  The report from the doctor is positive, however, we anticipate that John will remain in ICU for 3 more days as part of the pain management medication.  The doctor will closely monitor his condition, which includes several puncture wounds and two broken ribs.  The danger of infection will also be closely monitored. 


Photo Competition

The results of the photo-competition at Tiger Canyons judged by Daryl & Sharna Balfour are out. 

First prize goes to Yvette van Bommel for this shot of Sunderban and Shine romping in the pool in the canyon. 

Second prize goes to Yossi Joseph with this shot of Shine lying in the water. 

Third prize: Rheiner Keller's picture captures the power and beauty of the tigress at full charge through the water.

Fourth price: Peter Finlayson's "Triangle of Love" shot brought back memories of when James Boon, cameraman, Daryl Balfour photographer and I, followed Julie during the last 4 days of her pregnancy. We were desperately hoping to photograph and film the birth of the cubs. 

Fifth price: Bridgena Barnard's picture of Tiger Bomb (Tibo) captures the haunting blue eyes of this magnificent creature. 

read more


Savannah's Safari - lioness raised by tigress


 

Let your pictures do the talking

Jos & Yvette Van Bommel have produced the most stunning book called "Chuffing Tigers". The pictures all taken at Tiger Canyons are breathtaking. Tigers swimming, play fighting, in rocks and reeds, every page is an exciting new discovery....read more

Rhino War

Rhino breeders have appealed to the Government to allow them to trade the rhino horn, just like a farmer trades the wool from his sheep. All of this has fallen on deaf ears and the Government, in my opinion, has shown little or no leadership in this war against the rhino syndicates...read more

A Letter to the President

How is it that provincial officials can simply reject a R50 million project which will create 60 jobs immediately and later over 100 jobs. A project that will attract tourists from all over the world and help countries like India with whom we trade daily and play sport against to save the endangered tiger....read more

The Body Parts Scam


I have been given a price of $15,000 for the body parts of an average size tiger. Therefore, 550 lions at $15,000 amounts to $8,250,000 or around R58 million.


Tiger Subspecies...read more


Tiger Canyons - Dennis and Tertia Smit

Tiger Canyons and John Varty on Wikipedia


JV at Tiger Canyons
Information on Wikipedia is being maliciously changed and altered to cast doubt on the integrity of John Varty and the Tiger Canyons project...read more

Tiger Man of Africa is showing on National Geographic
John Varty and his tigers at Tiger Canyons
 

Competition

The best picture of a tiger, or tigress or lioness Savannah taken at Tiger Canyons, will win a Big Cat Safari for 2 people sharing.  Value R120 000  .... read more

Tiger Man of Africa

Baby Steps (2nd hour)
South Africa Nat Geo Wild (261)
Thursday 23rd June: 22h00
Friday 24th June:
01h00, 05h00, 13h00, 19h00

Nine Lives - Celebrate the Big Cats


Just a reminder to all that Tiger Man of Africa airs Friday, April 8th at 10PM.
A seemingly impossible dream: to create a new population of wild tigers outside their natural habitat. One man, John Varty, did just that. Starting with two young, zoo-born tigers, Varty now has more than 15 tigers at his Tiger Canyons reserve, and has used ever-present cameras to document two years of their lives. Whether mating, birthing or hunting, Varty shows these magnificent tigers with remarkable, up close and personal detail.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/expedition-week/5127/Overview


Game drive at Tiger Canyons - people in the cage, tigers free!

Nine Lives - Destiny Child - Ron

12 Tigers saved after flood at Tiger Canyons


 

A Gaian Reminder...


Twelve tigers were recaptured in 24 hours under extremely adverse conditions

Steel fencing poles were snapped like matchsticks

read more


Tributes to Savannah


Picture Elsa Young

www.jvbigcats.co.za/savannahtributes.htm

 



Ron's Journey

www.jvbigcats.co.za/newsletters40.htm


 

Tread lightly on the Earth

info@jvbigcats.co.za
Copyright 2007 @jvbigcats  All rights reserved
 
Who has the best vision of the of the big Cats...
read more

Who is the fastest...
read more

Lion or tiger, who is the strongest...read more

Cheetah at Tiger Canyons...read more

Seeking the Genes....
read more

Corbett's Journey....
read more

While "Shy Boy" mates 150 times over 4 days with "TiBo"...read more

Contribute to tiger conservation - JV Image Library...see more

The tigers have 5 curved sharp, vicious meat hooks, which extend when fighting...read more

Voronin Big Cat Safari Breaks All Records, 11 leopards, 9 tigers...read more

Effectively what I was offering the Eastern Cape, was two high profile tourist attractions in the leopard and the tiger...read more

The John Hume Approach to save rhino's...read more

Auction of rhino horn: If they do not grant you permission for the auction then you create a global event....read more

Mr. Prime Minister, if you genuinely want to save the magnificent tiger, then create parks where guests from all over the world can interact with your tigers the way they interact with leopards at Londolozi....read more

The news has broken that the Indian Government is far down the tracks with legislation that will ban tourism from their parks...read more

Therefore it's possible that rhino horn is moving labeled as lion body parts...read more

Corbett's Freedom
read about JV's decision

Corbett will be darted and then killed by lethal injection by a professional vet....read more

It struck me that these were my last moments on planet Earth....read more

Results -
photo competition

Tiger Canyons is making a calendar called "Tigresses" which celebrates the beautiful ladies who have done so much for tiger conservation over many years...read more

Jos & Yvette Van Bommel have produced the most stunning book called "Chuffing Tigers"...read more

Rhino breeders have appealed to the Government to allow them to trade the rhino horn, just like a farmer trades the wool from his sheep...read more

How is it that provincial officials can simply reject a R50 million project which will create 60 jobs immediately and later over 100 jobs...read more

I have been given a price of $15,000 for the body parts of an average size tiger. Therefore, 550 lions at $15,000 amounts to $8,250,000 or around R58 million...read more

...Jeremy Taylor recorded a song called "The Immorality Law". It suggested that the first thing that Jan van Riebeeck and his men did when they landed at the Cape, was to crossbreed all the black ladies to create the coloured race of South Africa....read more

Information on Wikipedia is being maliciously changed and altered to cast doubt on the integrity of John Varty and the Tiger Canyons project...read more

Approach your national parks to create protected areas for wild tigers...read more

The more time I spend in the company of Big Cats, the more I believe we underestimate their ability to communicate...read more

Tributes to Savannah...read more

The 3.6 metre electrified fence was dwarfed in places by a surging lake flowing over the canyon...read more

The male and founding tiger of Tiger Canyons, Ron, has died at Tiger Canyons aged 11,5 years old....read more

Corbett rises from the operation, a thin scar has replaced the gaping wound. Corbett has been restored to a handsome male tiger...read more

JV's book, Nine Lives. Memoirs of a Maverick Conservationist, John Varty...read more

I now have evidence that suggests Shine was darted by poachers attempting to kill or steal her ... Another male tiger, Sariska, left Tiger Canyons either dead or alive, on the same night ....read more

I regret to inform you that on the 15th of August 2010, the white Tigress Shine was killed by a young male tiger called Corbett....read more

..lets presume the South Africa Government took the same money and recreate a huge national park, a Serengeti of the South, ... read more

In fact, the animal lives to suffer the side effects - not once, but repeatedly...read more

The bankers gun is rotating wildly, he has a bad attack of "buck fever", there is no ways he will hit the target. "Rest the gun over my shoulder" I command...read more

At Tiger Canyons, the tigers continue to thrive and Julie's four cubs are growing rapidly. We have observed interesting behavior from Seatao, the father of the cubs...read more

Emotions have run high across the world with many people requesting that I pull Runti out and hand raise her...read more

However, to standby and watch the tiny cub fight for its life, is an incredibly hard emotional experience...read more

Savannah apparently understands perfectly well, for she rather clumsily picks up the cub in her mouth and returns it to the den...read more

Emotion is running high across the world regarding my statement that tigress Julie is unlikely to raise her five cubs to maturity, and if one or two perish along the way then I will not interfere...read more

Surderban destroys JV's EX1 camera...read more

Julie gives birth to 5 tiger cubs. I was able to enter the den of Tigress Julie and film and photograph five tiny new born cubs, one of which is white...read more

International Tiger Day
If we cannot save the tigers, I assure you we cannot save ourselves, it is as simple as that....read more

Tiger Photo Gallery
View pictures
Tiger Photo Gallery

I have formed Tiger Photo Gallery and I am inviting all photographers who have visited Tiger Canyons or any Tiger Sanctuary, for that matter, to submit 6 of your most interesting pictures to Tiger Photo Gallery...read more

I found her lying on her back with her paws in the air. Through the binoculars I could see an ugly gash on the bottom of her pad on the rear right leg. The bullet must have deflected off the ground upwards just catching her across the pad...read more

My worst fears were confirmed when I discovered a male tiger cub, caught  in a strong wire cable. The cable was tight around his waist and I could see where he had frantically ripped up the soil in an attempt to escape...read more

Shine a White Light. Three helpless, newly born tiger cubs, lie in the grass. Their mother has abandoned them and they are at the mercy of the elements....read more

Tiger burial. t was a solemn, touching ceremony as I and her surviving cub watched her bury the body parts...read more

At Londolozi Game Reserve, I am sitting with an 16 year old leopard who I call "Manana", the mother. She is probably the most famous and photographed leopard in the world ...read more

Tiger Birth at Tiger Canyons
Shadow bit the umbilical cord, ate the afterbirth and cleaned the membrane off the cub with her rough tongue. For a tigress giving birth to her first litter, she was doing surprisingly well....
read more


Invest in Tigers
This Newsletter is addressed to the hundreds of Indian conservationists who have corresponded with me this last year....read more


Tiger Courting
At Tiger Canyons, the two tigresses Julie and Shadow, are in separate territories divided by a wire barrier. Each tigress comes into estrus within hours of the other...read more


Big Cat Safari
with John Varty
(Tiger Canyons & Londolozi)
read more...


Elephant Trust
I see that the minister of environment of South Africa, has lifted the moratorium on culling of elephant...
read more


Privatizing the Tiger
Thousands of tigers exist in zoos around the world, earning money for their masters as "displays", while the tigers in the wild dwindle away as human beings take the last of their prey and home range...
read more