JV and THE BIG CATS


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Newsletter 95
17/06/14

Bush School: Where are they now?

In 1989 I made a children's TV series called Bush School. It was distributed by Disney and showed all over the world.

There were six kids in the show & Shan Varty was their teacher. Bronwyn & Boyd Varty, Simon & Adam Bannister, and Tidi & Sizie Modise. 
 

Brownyn recently married Richard Laburn, and she heads up Londolozi's marketing department. In recent years Bronnie has taken Londolozi to great heights. Today she is regarded as a world authority in the marketing of game lodges. 
 

  

Boyd continues on his unique life journey. He trains new game rangers at Londolozi and markets Londolozi world wide. Boyd recently completed his first book "Cathedral in the Wild".  Boyd's off beat sense of humour promises to make this book an entertaining read. 
 

 

Simon Max Bannister is famous for the words in Bush School "Nampak asks you, please do not litter".  

After half an hour with Max in conversation, you will soon realize that creatively he is from another planet. In short, he sees the world from a different perspective from you & me. 

Max recently won the Wildlife Artist of the Year award for a Journey of Giraffe sculpture. In London he received the prize from David Shepherd.

When I Asked Max to design me a life-size  sculpture of Tiger Corbett, he used flames to create the stripes of the Tiger. Such is the out of the box thought process of Simon Max Bannister! 
 

 

Adam Bannister, after guiding at Londolozi, has left his comfort zone and spent time photographing Jaguar in the Pantanal in Brazil.

Now he's doing Leopard and Tiger in India and is rapidly becoming a world authority on big cats.

Adam is also a world class photographer. 
 

 

I met Tidi Modise when he was 5 years old, sleeping on the floor of a 3 metre square hut in Alexandra Township with his mother and younger brother.

This was at the height of apartheid and violence was everywhere. Bullet holes peppered the walls of the tiny room. I was appalled by what I saw and managed to get Tidi, his mother & brother into a cottage in the suburb of Kew. 

Tidi completed his education and went on to gain his Springbok colours for Karate. 

When I lay in hospital after the helicopter accident, Tidi & his mother Reginah walked a considerable distance every day to visit me. It is something I will never forget. 

Today Tidi has his Fegasa 1 & is considered an expert on reptiles. 

At Tiger Canyons Tidi guides guests to photograph Tigers, edits movies and photoshops pictures for books.

Tidi has come a long way since the day I met him in a bullet-ridden shack in Alexandra Township. 

 

Sizie Modise, after spending some time in the Music and Media industry in Nigeria, has recently joined Tiger Canyons.

Sizie is in charge of books, films and music. 

Sizie is presently formalizing the Tigress Julie Foundation after gaining experience in running the Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust. We at Tiger Canyons are very proud to have her on board. 
 

 

Shan Varty continues to mother all aspects of Londolozi. Her organizational skills are legendary. 

I realize now that the 6 bush school kids were exceptional in many ways. I feel very privileged to have watched them all take careers in wildlife.

Many many rangers, guides, photographers & film makers have told me that Bush School influenced their lives as kids and helped them choose a career in wildlife. 

I would like to thank the following: Paul & Alison Bannister, Karen Trendler, Lex Hes, Elmon Mhlongo, who helped me create Bush School & to Tiny Laubscher for editing it.  To Di Riddell for neg matching & Mike Berridge for sound, I thank you sincerely.

Show Respect:

The Jeeps twists and turns through the heavy bush trying to get a position in front of the male leopard. Thorns snag the clothes of the guests & the engines rev in four wheel drive. 

Guests shout excitedly to each other about f-stop & shutter speed. All trying for that one in a lifetime picture.

Finally the jeeps are in position, parked strategically next to the game path along which the male leopard is moving. Radios are turned off.

The leopard appears, moving slowly, spraying marking fluid on the bushes.

At this point there should not be a single human voice. Only the shutter of the cameras should be heard. At most you should be talking in the softest whisper. 

The male leopard has been doing this for fourteen years. You are in the presence of greatness. You are privileged to be there. Nelson Mandela is just about to enter the arena. Show the leopard respect and keep quiet!!! 

The silent encounter with this magnificent creature will live with you long after the photos are forgotten.

The new sign at Tiger Canyons reads as follows: 

"The Tigers at Tiger Canyons are not there for our convenience.
They are fellow creatures trapped with us in an evolutionary moment of time.
All are on journey of Freedom. Have respect!!
Enjoy the Ride" 

Tread Lightly on the Earth
JV


Big Cat Safaris

Those of you wishing to book a Big Cat Safari in 2015, should do so now as beds are difficult to come by at Londolozi. Several people were disappointed in 2014 when we could not get accommodation at Londolozi.


Concert in the Canyon

The film "Concert in the Canyon" has been released on You Tube for the first song "Cameraman"


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