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John Varty & Tiger Canyon
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 (09-30-2015, 02:00 AM)Shardul Wrote:(09-30-2015, 01:40 AM)Pckts Wrote: I just posted about Bandhavargh farmers who are also reimbursed for every cattle taken as well. Yes, and they said where the cattle where grazing was not allowed and they wouldn't be compensated. If a big cat is protected, than any farmer who kills the big cat should be punished. Its the lack of gov't compensation that creates retribution, the big cat shouldn't be punished for the gov'ts lack of funds. IMO 
Off topic conversation - This thread is only to comment and respond on John Varty activities.
More Tragic news coming from Jon Varty's Tiger Canyons.
Newsletter 125 20/10/15 The Break Out Hello Friends A chain of events occurred at Tiger Canyons which have resulted in the death of Ussuri's male cub Antoine and the female cub Marguerite.
It started when a dominant male called Mahindra killed the cubs father Sariska. The removal of their father left the cubs with no protection. The cubs had not yet dispersed, they were 22 months old. Tiger cubs disperse between 20 and 30 months.
This is the mating season at Tiger Canyons. Mahindra should be mating, but the two females in his territory, Indira and Ussuri, are on birth control (The third female Tibo, has cubs). A male tiger burns up a huge amount of energy during mating. Testosterone levels drop.
During mating the male tiger does not patrol territory, he stays with the tigress, mating continuously (Up to 150 copulations have been recorded over 5 days)
Therefore Mahindra overloaded with testosterone, having killed Sariska, turned his attention to Ussuri's 3 cubs, Antoine, Marguerite and Jameez.
To give the cubs more space to disperse, fencing crews worked overtime to remove a 4 kilometer fence. Having removed the fence, the cubs now had an rugged area into which to disperse.
From the evidence, I deduced the following. Mahindra trapped Antoine against the fence and during the fight Antoine escaped through the fence. As he broke out, he pulled a main pole down effectively lowering the fence to 2.2 meters. Marguerite jumped over the lowered part of the fence.
Once out Antoine killed and adult Kudu bull on the floor of the canyon (I put out a post that Marguerite had killed the Kudu. I believe Antoine 190 kilograms killed the Kudu 250 kg.)
Although I could see the cubs, I could not get to them. I was reluctant to ask a vet to descend with me on foot to dart the tigers, it was dangerous to say the least.
Because they had a large kill, I presumed they would sit on the kill and not move for several days.
I organized a vet and a helicopter for the following day. My plan was to dart the tigers from the air.
The following day the tragic news that Tidi Modise had taken his own life, reached me. Stunned by the news, I cancelled the capture. It was to prove costly.
The following day, to my disbelief, the tigers were gone. Only the horns were left. The two tigers had consumed over 100 kilograms of meat.
Taking 3 trackers with me, I began tracking the tigers in the floor of canyon in the direction of the Van Der Kloof Dam.
Because they had consumed so much meat, I expected to find them close by, or lying in one of the many pools in the canyon.
The hike turned into a 6 hour ordeal. The floor of the canyon is littered with jagged rocks. Each step is a mission. The tigers with padded feet, weight distributed on 4 legs and a low center of gravity, glide across the rocks. Two legged human beings with a high centre of gravity, stumble and fall. The hike was treacherous and the temperature was 38 degrees.
How I wish I could have had my good friend Elmon Mhlongo to help me track. Elmon would have greatly speeded up the process.
During the hike we saw rock hyrax, kudu, warthog vervet monkey. The mountain reedbuck stared at us, perhaps they had never seen a human being. Baboons barked from the cliffs. A pair of black eagles hunted the rock hyrax.
It occurred to me that I was in a pure wilderness area. One of the few areas where nature protects herself. The very ruggedness of the canyon kept people out. Without this protection, human beings would have invaded the canyon, manipulating, exploiting and destroying its wildness. (The area of Tiger Canyons once witnessed the greatest volume of wild animals the world has ever known. Some 100 million to 300 million springbuck once migrated through the area now called Tiger Canyons).
For 6 hours I walked through this magnificent wilderness tracking two young, innocent tigers who were simply exploring their new territory.
As I struggled forward, I drew inspiration from the words of captain Paul Watson (Paul Watson is the captain of the Sea Shepherd who harasses the Japanese whaling ships). Paul Watson words are: ”There is no point in stressing, this is not going to solve the problem. Understand the problem, deal with it and solve it. Don’t stress!"
With this in mind, I embraced the journey. I found where the tigers had lain in the pools. I did the same. I found warthog, porcupine and antbear kills. Clearly the two tigers were reveling in their new situation, plenty of space, plenty of water and plenty of food. If only the tigers could be left there to live out there lives. If only!
The following day I brought in a helicopter and a vet. I was confident I would find the tigers and we could dart them from the chopper. Again I was wrong!
The canyon is simply too dangerous to go low level with a helicopter. It is steep and deep and the wind is treacherous. During the flight, I saw something which made my blood run cold. Where the canyon runs into the Van der Kloof Dam, it widens and flattens. Here a herd of cows grazed. The tigers were heading straight for the herd of cattle. Now the ball game had changed dramatically.
Using a boat, I patrolled the lake shore. I searched for tracks of tigers. More kudu and warthog kills were discovered.
I pulled baits and tied them to trees. I waited through the night over the baits. (As a kid I had read the books by Jim Corbett where he describes waiting for man eating tigers over baits). If I could get them onto a bait, I could get a vet to dart them. However the tigers had their own food, they were not interested in baits.
I tried flying drones over the thickets to locate them with no success.
After another frustrating day of failure, I returned to the messages on my cell phone. Nature conservation were anxious to know if I had caught the tigers. Farmers were getting impatient with the lack of success.
Invoices came from vets who had not fired a single dart and for helicopter fees. Money was flowing like water.
A call came in from a neighboring game reserve, two tigers had been seen on the outside of the perimeter fence right where the herd of cattle were. My worst fear had been realized. (The day before, I had organized with the farmer to move the cattle to another farm). The report stated that the tigers were bloated. I was too late, they had already killed a cow.
All laws in South Africa are written in favor of the farmer. The politicians who made these laws were mostly farmers.
As long as the tigers killed kudu, warthog and natural prey, they would be okay. As soon as they kill domestic stock, they step across the line of the law, they become problem animals.
I phoned 6 different vets to come and help me. None was available. All were spread across the country. I was desperate. (I could have darted the tigers myself. In the past, I have immobilized many lions. However a law prevents me from handling the drugs, because I am not a qualified vet.)
I was faced with the most difficult decision I have ever had to take in my life. I couldn’t jeopardize the other tigers and the tiger project.
Antoine and Marguerite died in a hail of bullets. Emotions overwhelmed me. Time stood still at Tiger Canyons.
Tread lightly on the Earth
JV Marguerite: Marguerite was the smallest but boldest of Ussuri’s 3 cubs. Once as a cub, she came right up to me raking my boots as I filmed her. When a bean bag fell out of the Jeep, Marguerite was the first to grab it and run off. Named after Margaret Pang who sponsored her, Marguerite spent 21 months with us. She was a great character to say the least. Her passing is deeply felt. Her body is laid to rest in Sariska rocks where as a cub she spent many happy hours playing with her siblings.
Rest in peace Marguerite.
Antoine:
Antoine was the largest of Ussuri’s litter of 3. Although his father Sariska was not the biggest male at Tiger Canyons, Antoine carried his grandfather's genes. Antoine’s grandfather is Seatao who weighs 225 kilograms and is the biggest male at Tiger Canyons. I fully expected Antoine to become the biggest male at Tiger Canyons even surpassing Seatao.
Antoine was an ambassador tiger and regularly posed for pictures. He had a beautiful and gentle temperament. Antoine is laid to rest in Sariska rocks.
Rest in peace Antoine.http://www.jvbigcats.co.za/newsletters125.htm
Another interesting read from Varty
Newsletter 124 04/10/15 Bad Tigers
 *This image is copyright of its original author Corbett: Picture Keisha Kleinhans "Is Ranthambore for me
Or is it for you Why do hundreds of pilgrims Come walking right on through" - From the song Ustad After Corbett killed Tiger Boy, several people have urged me to destroy Corbett, calling him a "bad cat."
So let's examine the facts, Corbett killed Tigress Shine. (Shine was the first white tigress born at Tiger Canyons and was in Julie's second litter which was abandoned.) At the time Corbett killed Shine, he was just 20 months old, he was not a dominant male.
The hunters trying to steal Shine had shot her with a tranquilizing dart and she had run into heavy reeds. As Shine recovered from the drug, she would have thrashed around simulating a wounded or injured animal in distress. Corbett killed her and partially ate her (This is told in the book "In the Jaws of the Tiger".)
When Corbett killed Tiger Boy, he was a dominant territorial male. A week previously Tiger Boy had killed a cub of which Corbett is the father. (Zaria is the mother and two cubs remain.)
Instead of retreating to another area, Tiger Boy and his brother Shy Boy stayed inside Corbett's area. (Perhaps Tiger Boy thought that with his brother Shy Boy, the two of them could remove Corbett from his territory and kill the remaining cubs.)
Unfortunately for Tiger Boy, Corbett caught him on his own and killed him.
Neither the killing of Shine nor the killing of Tiger Boy is unnatural behaviour. By no stretch of the imagination can Corbett be labeled a "bad tiger."
 *This image is copyright of its original author Ustad: Picture Siva Baskaran Ustad the dominant tiger of Ranthambore, who has attracted so much publicity, has entirely different circumstances. Ustad lives in Ranthambore where thousands of pilgrims walk through the park daily to a temple where they go to pray.
Ustad is accused of killing 4 human beings over a period of 5 years. Recently a forest guard was killed and Ustad was seen nearby. He immediately became the number one suspect.
Ustad's defenders say it cannot possibly be Ustad as they have pictures of Ustad strolling past women collecting water and he made no attack.
This is not the point. If Ustad has made a large kill and he is not hungry, then he does not regard humans as potential prey. If Ustad has not been successful in hunting and he is hungry, then he may well regard a puny human who can't run as an easy meal.
Does this make him a bad cat? Not at all!
I blame the authorities. They must decide if Ranthambore is for people or is it for tigers. Hundreds of pilgrims, men, women and children are not compatible with tigers. Any tigers!
Temples are man made structures, they can be placed outside the park. Ranthambore is a jewel gifted by Gaia and home to one of the last wild populations of tigers on earth. It cannot be replicated by human beings.
I say, relocate the temple to outside the park, fence the park and commit it to tigers.
Africa has many examples, where using electrical wire fences, large cats (lion, leopard and cheetah) are separated from domestic stock and people. India could easily copy the African example. They plead poverty, but truth be known, the government is bureaucratic and apathetic. By 2020 India will have the largest human population on planet earth. These people are competing for the same resources as the tiger.
So Ustad is removed to a zoo where he will disintegrate into depression and insanity. Another male tiger will take over Ustad's territory (probably has already taken the territory) and he too, lured by the chance of an easy meal, will kill an unwary forest guard or fatigued pilgrim walking through his territory.
Another "bad cat" will then either be killed or moved to the zoo.
Tread Lightly on the EarthJV http://www.jvbigcats.co.za/newsletters124.htm
@LionKiss
I appreciate your post and contribution but I suggest please do not make entire thread for topics that have no further potential of adding more posts in it. It is an old video it can be posted in video thread. Hope you will not mind and will understand what I mean. 
I understand fully and I am sorry for the inconvenience,
so I would like the Mods to move it to the correct thread, delete this and please sned me the link of its new location  *This image is copyright of its original author Hello Friends When I darted my first lion in the 70's, things were very different. Dart guns were much less accurate than they are today. The darts were heavy metal and aluminium. (On one occasion the metal dart killed a cheetah outright on impact.) Today, a good vet can hit a small target at 40 metres with a modern dart gun.
In the 70's there was no antidote for lions. I remember staying up many nights protecting sleeping lions that were recovering from being darted. With an antidote, a lion or tiger can be fully awake in 5 to 10 minutes.
In those days we used a drug called Sernyl or Phencyclidine. (This drug was abused by the drug users in America and was called "Angel Dust". It caused hallucinations in humans).
Occasionally a lion darted with Sernyl would go into a fit. We would put cardboard between its teeth to prevent it biting it's tongue.
 *This image is copyright of its original author This last week at Tiger Canyons, Dr Ryan Nienaber and Dr Charlotte Mouiex expertly moved 5 tigers and put 3 tigresses on birth control. All of this in the space of a few hours.
 *This image is copyright of its original author The introduction of contraception is hugely useful in a project like Tiger Canyons, where the numbers have to be carefully managed.
 *This image is copyright of its original author Once the tiger is darted, I am able to insert a microchip (this is for identification), place a satellite transmitter under the skin (this is a device which allows us to track the tiger and map it's home range), take a blood sample (this allows us for create a genetic profile of each tiger).
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author The management plan to create one large area for tigers has begun and the first internal fence (5km long) is being removed as I write this.
This means that Ussuri's 3 cubs, Antoine, Jameez, and Marguerite have a large area into which they can disperse. Ussuri and Tibo (the white tigress) are now able to greatly expand their territories.
In theory Tibo's three cubs could be in danger from males that are not the father. However Shy Boy, Tiger Boy, and Seatao have all been moved to other areas.
On moving Tiger Boy into Corbett's area, he immediately attacked Zaria's cubs. Zaria defended her cubs and a fight broke out. Corbett on hearing the fight, joined Zaria and attacked Tiger Boy. Tiger Boy got Corbett down and was winning the fight when Zaria jumped onto Tiger Boy and attacked him, saving Corbett's life. (I witnessed a similar incident in a fight between two male leopards, Marthly Male and Camp Pan Male. Vomba female jumped onto Marthly Male to help Camp Pan Male out who was the father of her cubs.) After Zaria jumped onto Tiger Boy, all three tigers began boxing and I witnessed the incredible sight of 3 tigers, all a metre off the ground captured in one frame.
While the adults were fighting, Zaria's cubs ran away but got separated. Tiger Boy killed one of the cubs the following morning.
I would like to thank the following people who have over many years shared their knowledge of veterinary care and management of big cats with me.
The late Dr Eddie Young and Dr David Meltzer. Doctors Roy Bengis, DeWald Keet, Peter Rodgers, Charlotte Mouiex and Ryan Nienaber. In addition Ian Whyte, Butch Smuts, Trevor Dealove.
Tread lightly on the EarthJV
Newsletter 124
04/10/15 Bad Tigers
*This image is copyright of its original author Corbett: Picture Keisha Kleinhans "Is Ranthambore for me
Or is it for you Why do hundreds of pilgrims Come walking right on through" - From the song Ustad After Corbett killed Tiger Boy, several people have urged me to destroy Corbett, calling him a "bad cat."
So let's examine the facts, Corbett killed Tigress Shine. (Shine was the first white tigress born at Tiger Canyons and was in Julie's second litter which was abandoned.) At the time Corbett killed Shine, he was just 20 months old, he was not a dominant male.
The hunters trying to steal Shine had shot her with a tranquilizing dart and she had run into heavy reeds. As Shine recovered from the drug, she would have thrashed around simulating a wounded or injured animal in distress. Corbett killed her and partially ate her (This is told in the book "In the Jaws of the Tiger".)
When Corbett killed Tiger Boy, he was a dominant territorial male. A week previously Tiger Boy had killed a cub of which Corbett is the father. (Zaria is the mother and two cubs remain.)
Instead of retreating to another area, Tiger Boy and his brother Shy Boy stayed inside Corbett's area. (Perhaps Tiger Boy thought that with his brother Shy Boy, the two of them could remove Corbett from his territory and kill the remaining cubs.)
Unfortunately for Tiger Boy, Corbett caught him on his own and killed him.
Neither the killing of Shine nor the killing of Tiger Boy is unnatural behaviour. By no stretch of the imagination can Corbett be labeled a "bad tiger."
*This image is copyright of its original author Ustad: Picture Siva Baskaran Ustad the dominant tiger of Ranthambore, who has attracted so much publicity, has entirely different circumstances. Ustad lives in Ranthambore where thousands of pilgrims walk through the park daily to a temple where they go to pray.
Ustad is accused of killing 4 human beings over a period of 5 years. Recently a forest guard was killed and Ustad was seen nearby. He immediately became the number one suspect.
Ustad's defenders say it cannot possibly be Ustad as they have pictures of Ustad strolling past women collecting water and he made no attack.
This is not the point. If Ustad has made a large kill and he is not hungry, then he does not regard humans as potential prey. If Ustad has not been successful in hunting and he is hungry, then he may well regard a puny human who can't run as an easy meal.
Does this make him a bad cat? Not at all!
I blame the authorities. They must decide if Ranthambore is for people or is it for tigers. Hundreds of pilgrims, men, women and children are not compatible with tigers. Any tigers!
Temples are man made structures, they can be placed outside the park. Ranthambore is a jewel gifted by Gaia and home to one of the last wild populations of tigers on earth. It cannot be replicated by human beings.
I say, relocate the temple to outside the park, fence the park and commit it to tigers.
Africa has many examples, where using electrical wire fences, large cats (lion, leopard and cheetah) are separated from domestic stock and people. India could easily copy the African example. They plead poverty, but truth be known, the government is bureaucratic and apathetic. By 2020 India will have the largest human population on planet earth. These people are competing for the same resources as the tiger.
So Ustad is removed to a zoo where he will disintegrate into depression and insanity. Another male tiger will take over Ustad's territory (probably has already taken the territory) and he too, lured by the chance of an easy meal, will kill an unwary forest guard or fatigued pilgrim walking through his territory.
Another "bad cat" will then either be killed or moved to the zoo.
Tread Lightly on the EarthJV
Maybe we should change the thread name and just re name it "Jon varty?" The original thread was about the article but it evolved to a thread about him.
We may not agree with some ways he goes about conservation but I have no doubt that he loves big cats and he has enough expierence with them to be a valuable asset.  (03-22-2016, 08:13 AM)Pckts Wrote: Maybe we should change the thread name and just re name it "Jon varty?" The original thread was about the article but it evolved to a thread about him. Agreed and done. A thread shouldn't have a suggestive title. I'm sure Sanjay and the other mods would agree. Varty's project in South Africa is interesting for some and controversial for others. Let's see what our members think. For those interested in participating: try to stick to arguments. Thanks, Peter. 
Even if we assume for a moment that his heart is at the right place and he genuinely cares about conservation, I don't really understand how his model is going to work. He says these animals will later be reintroduced into Asia, but has he marked which areas in Asia? Are his animals fully capable of surviving on their own in the wild? Can he just transport animals from one continent to another and expect them to adapt? What if Varty's tigers come in conflict with humans in their asian habitat?
Tara, the famous hybrid tigress from Dudhwa was raised by humans and then released into wild when she became an adult, but turned man eater and had to be killed. A tigress from Pench translocated to Panna kept moving out of the park repeatedly even though there was enough prey and no competition for her in the park area. These were animals used to the environment and still had trouble adjusting. Wouldn't it have been better to simply use all this money, that he put into tiger canyons, to protect tigers in parts of asia where they exist but are struggling to survive?
My understanding is that varty attempted to start this project in India but the Indian gov't wouldn't allow it. It may of had to do with his deception on the purity of the Tigers in his facility so he changed his motive to s. Africa where he is attempting to create a safari experience but instead of lions you will see tigers.
Varty's funding comes from specific finical backers who are obviously interested in turning a profit and everything varty does comes from them first. That being said, in my opinion, Varty does love big cats. How could he not? Who could devote their entire life to them and not be in love? Is his project the way to conservation? No, I don't think so. But great things have come from the depths of perceived "stupidity." I'm certainly not calling him stupid but I think many people perceive his actions that way. What I hope he does with this is as follows: I'd like him to take a stand against the poaching of animals and hunting, I'd like him to stop playing devils advocate on certain issues because he doesn't want to upset his investors. Is this a realistic goal? I'm not sure, without his investors he has no grounds to do this project. Maybe he can create a safari experience in Africa and from this he can in turn, open up another continents eyes to the plight of these big cats. What I don't like is the irresponsible breeding of these cats to produce white tigers, as we all know, that is one of the main things that started the infatuation with tigers in captivity. The 2nd thing I don't like is the available space compared to the number of tigers living there. That is why you see soo many fights, deaths and infanticides there. I'll I know is that even though I don't agree with him I do know that he has brought attention to the species. Good or bad, I don't know.
White Tigress Tibo and Tiger Corbett. Picture by Rainer Fackel from Germany
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Fight between Tibo and Corbett at Tiger Canyons. All tigers are okay!. Pictures by Rainer Fackel from Germany Probably the reason for the fight... Tibo and her cub. Picture Rianer Fackel, Germany  *This image is copyright of its original author Jv Images : Seeking the best genes After 18 months on birth control Tigress Indira has come back into estrus. The first male she met was Khumba but he is only 30 months old and too inexperienced. Indira then met up with Sundaban and mated a few times with him. Sundaban suffers from Kryptorchen ( His testicle are inside his body.) Sundaban does not have the testosterone or energy to mate many times so Indira rejected him. Then Indira met up with Corbett and the two have mated over 100 times over a period of 3 days. TrTread lightly on the earth JV  *This image is copyright of its original author Going to be a monster!^^  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Tibo with a kill  *This image is copyright of its original author More on the big boy above Jv images : Tibo protects her cubs. Tigresses are fearcely protective of their cubs. When a new male Khumba approaches, Tibo immediately attacks him. Although bigger and heavier than Tibo, Khumba is young and inexperienced and immediately submits. Tread lightly on the earth JV Pictures by Odette Taute  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Tibo and her cub  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Big Boy Mahindra at sunset in Tiger Canyons  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Jv images : Waterbuck release One can never predict what an animal will do after release. Three of the 4 waterbuck cows stopped a short distance away from the release point. The fourth cow ran straight into a fence which was 1.5 kilometres away. After trying unsuccessfully to break through the fence three times, she broke her neck on the fourth attempt. Their habit of going into marshes and tall grass make waterbuck a good prey species for tigers. Tigers are ambush predators and will have to be very smart to catch the alert waterbuck. Tread lightly on the earth JV  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Shortly after sunset were these tiger ladies something differed....  *This image is copyright of its original author
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