JV and THE BIG CATS


Home

Mission

Founder: John Varty

Tiger Canyons
Tiger Experiment
Invest in Tigers
Tiger Canyons tigers

Tiger Anatomy

Tourism

Volunteers
Merchandise
Research
JV Image Library
JV's Music

JV's Films

Poaching

Tiger Conservation

Tiger Subspecies

Tiger Newsletters

Tiger Photo Gallery

Contact us


 

 


Select newsletter in right column



04/07/11

Tiger Canyons and John Varty on Wikipedia


Tiger playing in canyon
 

JV at canyon

 


River through canyon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Varty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_tigers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_with_Tigers

The documentary has been described as a fraud. The tigers were apparently unable to hunt, and the film crew chased the prey up against the fence and into the path of the tigers for the sake of dramatic footage. Cory Meacham, a US-based environmental journalist mentioned that "the film has about as much to do with tiger conservation as a Disney cartoon." In addition, the tigers have not been released as the film suggests — and indeed still reside in a small enclosure under constant watch and with frequent human contact. The Discovery documentary contains footage that its maker, John Varty, has admitted on affidavit to be false.

There are claims that Tiger Canyons' Tigers have no conservation value, and experts question Varty's intention of building Tiger Canyons as a ecotourism industry in South Africa. Most experts concluded that it is just a money-minded venture which allows money to be earned through the deception that the tigers there are purebred, but in fact they have no conservation value as they are of mixed ancestry. Conservationists fear that the public will be misled in this cynical fashion.

Reply:

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

When Tiger Canyons began in 2000, there were reputed to be 5000 tigers in the wild. Today, in 2011, this number is closer to 1000 wild tigers. At the same time, in captivity around the world, 45 000 tigers reside in zoos, circuses and private collections. These tigers will never be wild tigers.

John Varty, the founder of Tiger Canyons, has repeatedly called for the privatization of tigers, because the governments of the tiger countries have failed so dismally to protect them.

He has urged the South African National Parks to set up a full scale National Park in South Africa to save the endangered tiger.


Zaria playing in water

Julie stalking wildebeest

In South Africa, Varty was the architect of a 36 000 hectare tiger sanctuary called Tiger Moon, which straddles the Gariep River and lies in the Northern Cape and in the Free State provinces of South Africa. This park has been in a 9 year arbitration. Millions of rands that could have gone into tiger conservation, has gone into legal fees.


Ron and Seatao fighting for territory

Seatao in morning mist

Varty designed a second park of 15 000 Ha, called the Freedom Park in the province of the Free State. This park, thankfully has thrived and has rare species like roan, sable, disease free buffalo and rhino on it, although no tigers. The Freedom Park today earns 10x more than a sheep farm and is quickly returning to its prime energy flow under wildlife.


Seatao

Sunderban on rock

In the province of the Eastern Cape, another area of prime tiger habitat has been targeted. Permission is being sought from the authorities to launch this park.

In Mpumalanga province of South Africa, an area has been surveyed for yet another tiger sanctuary.

Like McDonalds the fast food company, Varty's vision is clearly franchising the wild tiger concept, using Tiger Canyons as the base experiment.

The name of Varty's game is capturing land for wild tigers wherever he can and at the same time, bring like-minded private individuals into the tiger conservation business.

In the thousands of emails and messages on Facebook that Varty gets from all over the world, the most common thread that runs through them is the word "envy". People envy his lifestyle. The ability to interact with tigers on a daily basis. A simple uncluttered lifestyle of freedom observing and filming wild tigers.


Tiger on rocks at canyon

Zaria and Sunderban at river

His brother Dave wrote in the foreword of the book Nine Lives, "One hundred years from now it is entirely possible that relationships with wild animals will no longer be strange and bonds of kinship will be re-established between many of the earth's species........ JV's relationships with the world of nature have become increasingly stronger and profoundly deeper, to the point that he has effectively abandoned the world we know - with its politics, greed, conflict and crime. To me, JV is a messenger sent to us from the future. He implores us to change our ways as he illuminates a future course of action through these dark days of destruction of the natural world. He has used cinematography to shine a light on the magical intelligence and regenerative powers of nature, inspiring the imaginations of young minds, many of whom have aspired to being young John Varty's. Years later it is those selfsame kids who have chosen to dedicate their careers to the restoration of our Eden."

As the malicious misinformation flows into Wikipedia, some of the envious take their jealousy to the extreme.


Tourists looking at tiger

Tourists in canyon

Cory Meacham, a US based environmental journalist mentioned on Wikipedia that "Living with Tigers" has about as much to do with tiger conservation as a Disney cartoon". In addition the tigers have not been released as the film suggests.

Varty points out that he has never met Cory Meacham, nor has Meacham ever  been to Tiger Canyons. Varty is not aware that Meacham has ever done anything to save the tiger.

The fact that Tigress Julie has caught 80 wildebeest over the space of 30 months, as well as springbuck, blesbuck, warthog, mountain reedbuck and other species including barbel, clawless otter and water mongoose, is not mentioned by the ignorant Meacham.

How can Meacham and others know that the tigers reside in small enclosures. The area where Julie hunts and raises cubs, is 300 Ha, hardly small. The new hunting area recently completed and stocked, has 4km of the rugged Tiger Canyons river, 4 more wild tigers will shortly be introduced into this area.

"The Discovery documentary contains footage that its maker John Varty admitted on affidavit to be false"

The Discovery documentary scored very high ratings and continues to inspire and educate people around the world. The court case concerning the Discovery Documentary, Varty won handsomely. The statement on Wikipedia is defamatory.

The fact that Varty is now making the first ever 3D film on tigers with Discovery, attest to their confidence in the fact that they believe that Tiger Canyons has the best chance of saving the wild tiger.

National Geographic's "Tiger Man" series has followed "Living with Tigers" and judging by the  rating and public's response, this series will have a huge impact on tiger conservation worldwide. 

Meacham and company display their ignorance when they say "most experts concluded that it is just a money-minded venture which allows money to be earned through the deception that the tigers there are purebred".

The first thing that they don't understand, is that to save endangered species like the tiger, you need money, lots of money. When you have money, you need vision, after the vision, you need special skills, lots of tenacity and then you need to be able to execute.

A lawyer, a banker, a fashion designer or an environmental journalist have neither the knowledge, the skill or the vision to succeed in a project of this nature.

If Meacham and the Wikipedia editor (China's Tiger) read Nine Lives, they might understand that Varty has been trained for what he does. There are few people that have the skills to undertake what Varty is attempting.

Do they think when the photographers come to Tiger Canyons and see a 500 pound male tiger stalking through the river, the guests are interested in what sub species of a tiger it is?

The 500 lb tiger is magnificent in the morning light, water dripping from his coat, muscles rippling, eyes focused on the prey, legs hunched ready for the charge. Photographers have been mesmerized by this scene and have the photo's to prove it.

Six modern Canon and Nikon digital cameras capture the moment at high speed. The atmosphere in the jeep is electric. The images travel over the internet, into books, magazines and image libraries. In short - the images educate and inspire people worldwide. The finest pictures of wild tigers ever taken, have been at Tiger Canyons and the standard of pictures being entered into the recent photo competition, are better than world class.

This is how you save the tiger. Varty did it with leopard at Londolozi and now he's doing it with tigers.

Just for Meacham and the other misinformed individuals, DNA has proved that all tigers are the same, Panthera tigris tigris - The Asian Tiger. The only subspecies is Panthera tigris sumatrae - The Sumatran Tiger and this will soon be lost to the world at the rate they are logging the island of Sumatra.

Read: Tiger - The Ultimate Guide by Valmik Thapar
CDS Books, 2004, p 17 - 21
extracts on our website:
www.jvbigcats.co.za/tigersubspecies.htm

So Varty doesn't concern himself with Meachams and Wikipedia editor "China's Tiger's" mental masturbation. He asks the question, is the tiger strong, is it fast, can it hunt, is it well bred, will it have high reproduction?

The litters born at Tiger Canyons are 3, 4 and 5, so Varty is satisfied his breeding is good.

People from 42 nationalities have visited Tiger canyons, some have been more that 6 times. They don't come to photograph tigers in cages!


Picture: Susanne Baden from Germany

To all the tiger supporters worldwide who have supported John Varty through successes and failures, through floods and natural disasters, disregard the saboteurs who change and manipulate the information on Wikipedia. They are nothing, they know nothing, they live in the dark world of envy and jealousy.


Response:

I HAVE been to Tiger Canyons, I have met JV, his team and the tigers.

I have been to Pench, Kanha and Ranthambore in India as well as zoos and private collections in many countries.

JVs commitment is unquestionable the reserve he is establishing is massive and provides shelter and security for these animals to live “wild”

The only difference between this and the Indian tiger parks is that it is on another continent and has an effective security fence keeping people and poachers out. To the tiger, prey does not carry a passport and the geography/geology suits the predator well. Tigers bred in zoos or in small cages in private collections will select for those qualities ie, docility, adaptation to confinement that enable them to be kept in such conditions. How much better is it to have tigers living in controlled areas where the natural qualities will select such as hunting ability, muscle development?. As to “the stud book” what nonsense: I cite dog breeding as an example. They are all in the stud book but now we have Bulldogs that cannot breathe because their noses no longer function through selective breeding with other “stud book” animals.

Had the same project been possible in the tiger’s native countries with similar security and anti-poaching measures there would be no complaint.

I do not know Cory Meacham but unlike the Varty brothers, David and JV, has this person played any role in conservation of any species anywhere or run a commercial venture geared to ecology?. (Surely the only way to guarantee continuing funding)

One of the Varty’s unsung claims is  their pioneering work at Londolozi with leopards that has led not only to cloning of their operation throughout numerous countries but importantly has provided economic benefits to the local people through tourism in each case.

The area where Tiger Canyons is situated is one of the poorest regions of South Africa. Unemployment is high and the HIV infection rate among the local population is huge. Modelled on Londolozi’s successful, proven formula in due course the presence of these animals has the potential not only to provide a valuable bloodline for the tiger but depending on your point of view an even more important lifeline for the local people.

So, which is the better option for these marvellous cats, a rapidly decreasing population in Asia and eventual extinction? But before settling for this option and casting the tiger to oblivion – or at least to zoo parks with tiny enclosures where the animals are fed soy vegetarian formula antelope burgers – go and see for yourself.

There is an alternative………………..

John Kitchen

 

 

 

Tread lightly on the Earth

[email protected]
Copyright 2007 @jvbigcats  All rights reserved


Newsletters


Newsletters 162
23/07/18
Raising 200

Newsletters 161
22/05/18
Reach for 200

Newsletters 160
06/05/18
The Power of the Photograph

Newsletter 159
14/04/18
Predator Aggression

Newsletters 158
19/02/18
Open letter to Cyril Ramaphosa

Newsletter 157
14/02/18
SCI bans canned lion hunting

Newsletters 156
26/01/18
Tibo produces white cubs

Newsletters 155
13/11/17
The Indian Connection

Newsletters 154
28/10/17
Desertification

Newsletter 153
20/10/17
Supermarket Shopper vs. Hunter Gatherer

Newsletter 152
14/10/17
JV's response to Elayna Kinley letter

Newsletters 151
29/09/17
Running on empty

Newsletter 150
14/09/17
The Survivor

Newsletters 149
05/09/17
In pursuit of Alan Root

Newsletters 148
09/08/17
Open letter re schools plus Panna cubs

Newsletters 147
17/07/17
It's Finished

Newsletters 146
31/05/17
Hunters

Newsletter 145
20/05/17
King Corbett

Newsletter 144
08/05/17
Hunting versus Non Hunting

Newsletter 143
14/03/17
If it Pays, it Stays

Newsletters 142
14/02/17
Best Photographs at
Tiger Canyons

Newsletters 141
16/01/17
Lady Hunters

Newsletter 140
10/12/16
Londolozi and Love

Newsletter 139
23/11/16
Life is Not Fair

Newsletter 138
17/11/16
The Trump Card

Newsletter 137
22/10/16
Most Admired People on the Planet

Newsletters 136
13/10/16
Captive vs Wild

Newsletter 135
08/10/16
To trade  or not To Trade

Newsletter 134
08/08/16
A Defining Moment

Newsletter 133
08/07/16
I Have Lost A Friend

Newsletter 132
13/05/16
The World is Changing

Newsletter 131
08/04/16
Icon Cats

Newsletter 130
31/03/16
Sylvester the Lion

Newsletter 129
22/03/16
An Open Letter to Head United Nations

Newsletter 128
15/03/16
An Open Letter to Carte Blanche

Newsletter 127
28/11/15
Satellite Tracking

Newsletter 126
12/11/15
Lightning strikes 3 times

Newsletter 125
28/10/15
The Break Out

Newsletter 124
05/10/15
Bad Tigers

Newsletter 123
01/10/15
Tiger Boy's Journey

Newsletter 122
13/09/15
Give it a Name

Newsletter 121
10/09/15
Driven Hunts

Newsletter 120
01/09/15
Creative Conservation

Newsletter 119
12/08/15
Sariska from birth till death

Newsletter 118
11/08/15
Real Hunters

Newsletter 117
07/08/15
An Open Letter to the President: Operation Wild Lion

Newsletter 116
03/08/15
An Open Letter to Theo Bronkhorst

Newsletter 115
28/07/15
Cruel Nations

Newsletter 114
08/07/15
Subspecies or no subspecies

Newsletter 113
11/06/15
Tigers Moving Forward

Newsletter 112
13/04/15
Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Newsletter 111
26/03/15
Don't Shoot the Messenger

Newsletter 110
22/03/15
The Hunters

Newsletter 109
09/03/15
Gaia or God?

Newsletter 108
26/02/15
The Healing Power of Cats

Newsletter 107
18/02/15
Goddess Gaia

Newsletter 106
03/02/15
Ambassador Cats

Newsletter 105
24/01/15
Blondes have more fun

Invitation
09/01/15
Gaining ground for tigers

Newsletter 103
14/12/14
Tibo's Dilemma

Newsletter 102
05/12/14
Wilderness Man

Newsletter 101
25/11/14
Sariska fathers cubs with white Tigress Tibo

Newsletter 100
20/11/14
Cheetah Survival

Newsletter 99
30/09/14
Extract from JV's speech on Corbett's Freedom Day

Newsletter 98
15/08/14
The Power of the Picture

Newsletter 97
18/07/14
Tiger Corbett's Release

Newsletter 96
11/07/14
Corbett's Journey

Newsletter 95
18/06/14
Bush School: Where are they now?

Newsletter 94
12/05/14
Open letter to Jani Allen: Oscar Pistorius

Newsletter 93
07/05/14
John Varty interview with Sizie Modise

Newsletter 92
20/04/14
Marion's Big Cat Safari

Newsletter 91
24/02/14
Full energy flow

Newsletter 90
10/02/14
Investing in wild tigers

Newsletter 89
05/02/14
Where are the Champions?

Newsletter 88
27/01/14
Managing the Genes

Newsletter 87
16/01/14
Capture the Moment

Newsletter 86
07/12/13
The Princess Diana of Tigers - Julie:
 Sept 1999 - 5 Des 2013

Newsletter 85
26/11/13
The Communicators

Newsletter 84
26/11/13
A Letter to All Conservationists in SA 
Sparked by the whole Melissa Bachman Debacle
by Maxine Gaines

Newsletter 83
16/11/13
Tell me what happened

Newsletter 82
04/11/13
Profit is the Name of Your Game

Newsletter 81
30/10/13

Big Cat Cub Safari


Newsletter 80
18/10/13
In the Jaws of the Tiger

Newsletter 79
11/10/13
Open letter to Vice President Cyril Ramaphosa about rhino crisis

Newsletter 78
06/10/13
Open letter to Min of Defense, South Africa about rhino crisis

Newsletter 77
30/09/13
Digital Photography

Newsletter 76
06/09/13
Zoochosis

Newsletter 75
20/07/13
Rhino Horn Trade - Response

Newsletter 74
09/07/13
Raw Power

Newsletter 73
02/07/13
The Evolution of the Tracker

Newsletter 72
02/07/13
An Open Letter to the Honourable Edna Molewa, Minister of Water Affairs and Environmental Affairs

Newsletter 71
06/06/13
Using flash or spotlight on cats at night

Newsletter 70
14/05/13
Mirror mirror on the wall, who has the best eyesight of them all?

Newsletter 69
12/04/13
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fastest of them all?

Newsletter 68
25/03/13
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the best fighter of them all?

Newsletters 67
07/03/13
Wild Cheetah return to the Free State after 100 years

Newsletter 66
28/02/13
Seeking the genes

Newsletters 65
06/02/13
Corbett's Journey

Newsletters 64
22/01/13
In Search of a Mate

Newsletters 63
11/01/13
Rumble in the Jungle

Newsletters 62
30/10/12
Voronin Big Cat Safari Breaks All Records

Newsletters 61
09/12/12
A Journey to Nowhere

Newsletter 60
03/10/12
The John Hume Approach

Newsletter 59
28/09/12
Response to Rhino Horn Auction

Newsletters 58
24/09/12
A Letter to John Hume, SA biggest Rhino Breeder

Newsletters 57
05/09/12
Newsletters 56
01/08/12
Indian Government -
the wrong decision

Newsletter 55
11/07/12
What price must beauty pay?

Newsletter 54
21/04/12
Corbett's Freedom

Newsletter 53
15/04/12
Lethal injection or Freedom

Newsletters 52
04/04/12
The anatomy of an aggressive tiger

Newsletters 51
14/02/12
Majestic, breathtaking pictures

Newsletters 50
04/11/11
Tigress Calendar

Newsletters 49
19/11/11

Let your pictures do the talking

Newsletters 48
26/09/11

Rhino Wars

Newsletters 47
06/09/11
A Letter to the President

Newsletters 46
08/08/11
The Body Parts Scam

Newsletters 45
11/07/11
Tiger Subspecies

Newsletters 43
01/05/11
Your future and the Tiger

Newsletter 42
08/05/11
Talk to Me

Newsletter 41
26/01/11
Gaian Reminder

Newsletter 40
18/11/10
Ron's Journey

Newsletter 39
20/10/10
"Descreprimate"

Newsletter 38
06/09/10
Beauty comes at a price

Newsletter 37
18/08/10

The Light Has Gone Out


Newsletter 36
08/07/10
The Beautiful Game

Newsletter 35
05/07/10
The Ethics of
Tiger Green Hunting

Newsletter 34
21/06/10
Tiger Hunt

Newsletter 33
26/05/10
The Year of the Tiger

Newsletter 32
11/02/10

Riding the Tiger


Newsletter 31
24/01/10

Runti's Journey


Newsletter 30
12/01/10

To intervene or not to intervene -
that is the question...

Newsletter 29
07/12/09

Lion - Tiger - Human Communication


Newsletter 28
12/11/09

Emotional humans, emotional cats


Newsletter 27
03/11/09

Julie gives birth to 5 tiger cubs


Newsletter 26
24/09/09

International Tiger Day


Newsletter 25
17/08/09

To all Photographers


Newsletter 24
16/07/09

A Shot in Anger


Newsletter 22
24/04/09


Newsletter 21
24/03/09


Newsletter 19
14/01/09

Tiger Birth
at Tiger Canyons


Newsletter 16
10/10/08

Tiger Courting


Newsletter 11
29/01/08

Privatizing the Tiger


Newsletter 9
27/10/07

Newsletter 8
28/09/07

Newsletter 7
14/09/07

Water Cats


Newsletter 6
14/08/07

Tiger Intelligence


Newsletter 5
16/05/07

Tiger language
Tiger Boma


Newsletter 3
09/03/07

Interspecies communication


Newsletter 2
06/02/07

Cub relocation


Londolozi
Newsletters

Death of a Legend
17/08/09


Newsletter 20
10/02/09

Newsletter 15
17/08/08

Painted Wolves


Newsletter 13
11/04/08

Response to Elephant Trust
by Daryl Balfour


Newsletter 12
09/04/08

Elephant Trust