tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12194782732108097842024-03-21T09:48:43.983-07:00JV & The Big CatsTiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-8949881945218518642014-07-27T03:01:00.003-07:002014-07-27T04:43:23.341-07:00Tiger Canyons: Tiger Diaries 27 July 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Tiger Canyons Is having the coldest winter in living memory. Watch how Ussuri & her cubs handle the ice when their favourite waterhole is frozen</div>
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Tiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-67552867642371238842014-07-03T22:37:00.001-07:002014-07-03T22:39:09.503-07:00Tiger Canyons: Tiger Diaries - 3 July 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hundreds of years ago in Asia, the tiger would have pirated kills from the cheetah. Sadly today the cheetah is gone and the tiger numbers greatly diminished. </div>
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At Tiger Canyons in South Africa, we got a glimpse into that relat<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">ionship when cheetah Runde came to investigate tiger Kumba and tigress Aurora. Although totally unaware of the danger form the tigers, Runde fortunately turned tail and fled, easily outrunning the tiger. <br /><br /> Pictures by Richard Sheehan</span></div>
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Tiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-62040999535699171412014-06-30T22:51:00.000-07:002014-07-27T04:42:16.406-07:00John Varty Concert under the Moon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Conservation Songs - John Varty<br />
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Tiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-72259686087320656602014-06-30T22:44:00.000-07:002014-07-03T22:38:55.239-07:00Tiger Canyons: Tiger Diaries 1 July 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We have had our first interaction between Tigers & Cheetah at Tiger Canyons. Fortunately cheetah Runde outran tigers Kumba and Aurora. </div>
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Tiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-80434776202384769402012-09-28T22:03:00.001-07:002012-09-28T22:03:36.382-07:00Trade in Rhino Horn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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To: John Varty</div>
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You obviously supports the legal sale of Rhino horn and elephant ivory much to my surprise. I have to strongly disagree with you. There is not and never will be enough rhino horn and elephant ivory to satisfy the market for these products. One-off sales have not worked in the past to stop the poaching. They only feed the desire for more of the product. The huge influx of Chinese workers into Africa have been instrumental in the increase of poaching. The growing middle class in China has increased the markets for ivory and rhino horn. </div>
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The only way to stop the poaching is to educate the Asian people. I watched a documentary just recently where many Chinese were interviewed and asked if they knew that elephants are being killed to get the ivory the people are buying. Most of them said they didn’t realize that and appeared shocked. The world has to put pressure on the Asian governments – mainly China – to find a way to stop the desire for these products through mass education on TV, in schools etc. plus serious punishment for those who are caught importing the product. </div>
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What good will your plan do when they have sold all the horn, ivory and skins in the inventory? The poachers will go out and get more because now the market has been stimulated even more so they have many more buyers. </div>
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Advertising is a powerful tool. Public service announcements and education worked in the U.S. to stop littering in the 60’s and substantially reduced drunk driving. The same mass programs could work to stop the Asians from buying horns and ivory. </div>
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I am an admirer of the work you do in Africa but I believe you are wrong to promote one-off sales of ivory and horn. </div>
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Regards</div>
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Judy Merrick</div>
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USA</div>
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Hi John. I assume that this is tongue in cheek. I cannot believe that you would be for the legalization of the rhino horn trade. We have both been in the wild life industry all our lives and have followed the trends. Encouraging trade in wild life products with the East has never had any effect other than to feed their insatiable demand thus exponentially increasing the promotion of the illegal trades. Cheers Mike Gunn.</div>
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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. Trade will not stop poaching or illegal horns, proper protection and a willing Government will. Instead of opting for true conservation Mr Varty has opted for human greed.</div>
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How regretable.</div>
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Bet Regards</div>
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Melissa Weavind</div>
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Hi JV </div>
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I’ve enjoyed your antics (BTW: I say ‘antics’ in the nicest possible way) for a good number of years starting with the stuff you made with Elmon in the early years. The letter you penned to John Hume, posted widely on FB, leaves me a little puzzled. Controversy for the sake of controversy is fine but we live with the consequences. I suppose more correctly our children live with the dreck we leave behind. Are you really of the opinion that rhino horn sales be made legal? If so why? </div>
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Regards</div>
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Mark Kirk</div>
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Hi JV </div>
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I disagree with this strategy. </div>
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Whilst the sale of an already procured resource, accessed either by de-horning or the confiscation of poached items, may seem attractive and logical due to its value, that value is derived and supported by demand, a demand which will be further encouraged by this sale. </div>
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This is one of the most disappointing aspects of funding the protection of wild species, that the most valuable resource driving extinction can and should not be used to support conservation measures. </div>
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I agree that we need to develop large funds to support conservation efforts in all areas of the world and for all endangered species and habitat; some of the more endangered have little intrinsic value available to drive support efforts and perhaps it is here where the fundraising strategy which I hope to discuss with you soon could be most effective. </div>
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Unfortunately many in this world see nothing of value unless it can produce a profit. Wouldn’t it be great to turn this around in favour of natural resource management rather than bank balance management. </div>
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I hope we can talk soon </div>
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Steven Thompson</div>
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Australia</div>
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Hello friends, </div>
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Thank you to the above for carefully thought out emails. </div>
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When the National Parks had the auctions of ivory in the 80s, the Kruger National Park had 7000 elephants. The Sabi Sand Game Reserve, where Londolozi is situated, had 5 elephants. Today the Kruger National Park has 13 000 elephants and Sabi Sand can have as many as 1000 elephants in the dry season. </div>
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This seems pretty successful to me, especially as elephants are beginning to colonize the Transfrontier park into Mozambique. </div>
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So kindly tell me where the sale of ivory at auctions has fuelled the poaching of elephants in South Africa? The above example suggests the opposite. </div>
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In the 60's, the Sabi Sand owners introduced White rhino, purchased from Natal Parks. </div>
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For 50 years we have protected, conserved, bred and paid for our rhino, which is now a sizeable population. Over the years, rhino have died of old age, being killed in fights and died from disease. The horns of these rhinos have been collected and stored in safe places away from the Sabi Sand. The horns have no value, because under the present law private individuals cannot trade legally in horn. </div>
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By 2010 sizeable, sophisticated syndicates of rhino poachers were operating successfully in South Africa. </div>
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South Africa is the stronghold of the White rhino, with a total of 18 000, 25% being held and conserved by the private enterprise (South Africa has donated Black and White rhino to Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi amongst others over the last 20 years). </div>
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By 2011 the poaching syndicates had identified the soft targets and 448 were poached in that year (2007 - 12; 2008 - 83; 2009 - 122; 2010 - 333)</div>
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The trend continued into 2012 and 10 have been killed this year (end of September; 4 rhinos were killed at Lalibela yesterday). </div>
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So how do we protect our rhinos that we have bred up for 50 years? </div>
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We protect them by becoming a hard target. You get a reputation amongst poachers that you will be killed if you try to poach rhino in our area. In order to be a hard target, you have to employ a small army of highly trained well-armed men 24/7. </div>
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To back up the ground crew, you need air power. A Robinson 44 helicopter flies at R2 600 per hour and fuel is increasing every 6 months. </div>
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You need a radio communication network and you need to be able to pay for information. When you do make arrests you have to hire skilled legal people to make the charges stick. The poaching syndicates are well represented legally and many are slipping away on technicalities. </div>
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As stated in a previous newsletter, the Government has done little or nothing to help the private enterprise combat the rhino poaching. </div>
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So how do you finance this war against the sophisticated syndicates? You finance it with money, lots of money! Where does the money come from? It comes from the rhino horn stocks that have been lying in vaults for many years. (some 20 tonnes of rhino horn are presently in stock piles)</div>
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I was in the rhino conservation business long before I was in the tiger conservation business. I and Sabi Sand owners invested in rhinos in the 60s. I and the owners of the Sabi Sand have paid to conserve and breed those rhinos for over 50 years. I and the owners of the Sabi Sand must now pay for the army to fight the syndicates (no Government assistance). </div>
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The success of the rhino will be won by those who have the ability to protect it on the ground and those who can enforce the big jail sentences in the courts. </div>
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Therefore, those who paid and invested in rhinos have every right to trade in the rhino horn that has been collected for over 50 years. </div>
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The inability to finance the army against the syndicates may well mean we lose the battle on the ground. This is not an agenda that I am contemplating. I intend to win and win big, to crush the syndicates and help move the South African rhino population forward to 36 000 in my lifetime. </div>
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If people like John Hume, and others will help me, I will go all the way to the Supreme Court of South Africa for my right to legally trade the rhino horn to further the aims of rhino conservation in South Africa. </div>
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Tread lightly on the earth.</div>
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JV</div>
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Tiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-69202628826417559372012-04-21T00:51:00.001-07:002012-04-21T00:51:06.525-07:00Corbett's Freedom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UXPDU5gBqE9dXWeNNTZnHFW49eqCl1O8XdQwgWMthp1ZHPjtNh3HP3A4d0E53D_P4qULVRfA7Bs0jxs4BkY_tugkuWDfYZ_T7ZotboaxJy2XaIF2mXdkyvXrDZ18gHcGc5z-dDhA8TPI/s1600/IMG_5218sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UXPDU5gBqE9dXWeNNTZnHFW49eqCl1O8XdQwgWMthp1ZHPjtNh3HP3A4d0E53D_P4qULVRfA7Bs0jxs4BkY_tugkuWDfYZ_T7ZotboaxJy2XaIF2mXdkyvXrDZ18gHcGc5z-dDhA8TPI/s320/IMG_5218sm.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />Corbett confined in small boma</div>
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Hello Friends </div>
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After receiving so many angry, caring and passionate emails, messages on our blog, twitter and facebook, I now feel positive about the future of the Tiger Corbett. </div>
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I made people "physically ill". I've been compared to Mugabe and to the Hitler. I've been offered a choice between death and castration. Can I come back to you on that one!</div>
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On the positive side, I received potential homes for Corbett in Colorado, the Sunderbans, Siberia, Sariska, in South Africa and in China where he can "hunt Chinese tiger poachers". </div>
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Many of you thought he needs a mate and sex, others thought castration will get rid of his aggression. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmo-836_YZDm9ZQmXeCpw8ajstPhXbF89o9-Fnm79uEQ4QQS2U7ErfjK5JgESJ3Ku8WW3OXWkt1mpoT90SGO9RmyJ6C5tavAfktDcIUxO1RVLgHFJngZSKKdxZDhfKQLm8eLRRphjWxMpy/s1600/IMG_9078sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmo-836_YZDm9ZQmXeCpw8ajstPhXbF89o9-Fnm79uEQ4QQS2U7ErfjK5JgESJ3Ku8WW3OXWkt1mpoT90SGO9RmyJ6C5tavAfktDcIUxO1RVLgHFJngZSKKdxZDhfKQLm8eLRRphjWxMpy/s1600/IMG_9078sm.JPG" /></a><br />tigers mating</div>
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Others told me that I must not "dilute the gene-pool". Jules Brenner sent me an article (American Scientist) about the aggressive gene. This was valuable input and I thank you.</div>
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Cam Steele believes this world is for "every animal, not just for humans". Gary Thomas told me that I "lived to tell the tale, let Corbett live to share the tale". </div>
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The main thing is that hundreds of people participated in the debate and hopefully a good decision was made.</div>
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It is amazing that with technology, we can talk to each other across the world. All of us concerned for this planet have communication tools to change, to save, to adapt. </div>
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The human population is now 7 billion people and we are pushing many species, including the tiger to the brink of extinction. </div>
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I'm doing well in hospital and walked 800 steps without help today. Hopefully I will be back at Tigers next week and can continue with rehab at home. </div>
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During all this time, I have of course gone through my own evolution and this is what I have decided to do: </div>
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I will create a 300 Ha area for Corbett. On the ground, the fence will be heightened and strengthened. Where there may be danger, double gates will be installed. </div>
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Animal communicators will be invited to communicate with Corbett in his boma and then when he is set free to see how he feels. </div>
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If you would like to contribute to Corbett's boma, you can do this through the Savannah Fund (see below). </div>
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In addition, I will shortly hold an auction in Johannesburg to raise some of the R3 million that I need (details will follow). </div>
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One of the things we will auction, is a life size bronze statue of Corbett. As I write this well known artists John Bassi is working out the logistics of how to create this magnificent bronze which will weigh 300 kilograms. </div>
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At the auction 15 of the best photos by Daryl and Sharna Balfour, Lorna Drew and Yvette van Bommel will be auctioned off. </div>
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Safaris from well known lodges will be auctioned, two big cat safaris will go under the hammer.</div>
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For any collectors, replicate jackets of the one JV wore which gave him protection against Corbett's teeth, will be auctioned. </div>
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My new book "Hand Brake Safari - A Journey with Tigers" will be launched. Written with humour, it tells of the last 12 years of tiger conservation. The blood, the sweat, the tears, the joy, the sadness and of cause the attack.</div>
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At the auction there will also be a thank you ceremony for Julie Brown, Julie Ann Reid and Phumlani Nchunu whose incredible bravery saved my life. </div>
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If anyone has anything of value, a painting, an art piece, a herd of blesbuck, a sable bull antelope, anything that has value that can be auctioned, please contact Sunette (info@jvbigcats.co.za)</div>
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We will let you know the final details of the auction, however, the first of June at 6pm in Johannesburg has been targeted. </div>
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When the new boma is completed and fully stocked with prey, Corbett will be darted, weighed, measured and then he will be transported to his new area. One or two mature tigresses will join him. The area will be stocked with kudu, warthog, mountain reedbuck, blue wildebeest, impala, blesbuck and springbuck. </div>
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In the meantime, I need to get back to full fitness. Thank you again for thousands of messages from across the world. In my darkest hour, I could feel the positive energy.</div>
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Thank you to the staff, the sisters and the doctors that treated me at MediClinic in Bloemfontein. I am extremely grateful. </div>
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The threat by lethal injection of Corbett is gone and the freedom route will be followed. You have the satisfaction of having influenced my decision and I thank you for it.</div>
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Tread lightly on the earth</div>
JV<br />
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Savannah Fund:<br />
<br />
SEVEN FALLS TRADING (PTY) LTD<br />
FIRST NATIONAL BANK - TROMPSBURG<br />
A/C 62094732693<br />
BRANCH CODE: 230932<br />
SWIFT CODE: FIRNZAJJ<br />
IBAN: 230932 62094732693<br />
FIRST NATIONAL BANK<br />
32 CHURCH STREET<br />
TROMPSBURG<br />
9913<br />
SOUTH AFRICA</div>Tiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-50757512512679932112012-04-15T07:11:00.001-07:002012-04-15T07:43:42.130-07:00Lethal Injection or Freedom?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm5wHav_3zq8iEClxt_sAH2VTBnZQABS7Qv1cW2pvJM90_vRH39DS0vEko9yxEBW0nU5DT2mNcsSU3HBNQCmcGDWzO23Y17lk6WC4C9djIH-2_FipCld_oJRZKDanrREps_QQa9q9w2MN/s1600/_MG_4038sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm5wHav_3zq8iEClxt_sAH2VTBnZQABS7Qv1cW2pvJM90_vRH39DS0vEko9yxEBW0nU5DT2mNcsSU3HBNQCmcGDWzO23Y17lk6WC4C9djIH-2_FipCld_oJRZKDanrREps_QQa9q9w2MN/s320/_MG_4038sm.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Corbett (right) with siblings, Sariska and Panna (picture Sunette)</div>
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Hello Friends </div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuyQgSX1eGw" target="_blank">JV talks from hospital in Bloemfontein</a> - on YouTube</div>
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I have had many hours at night to contemplate my future and analyze what went wrong. I have come to my conclusion that no mistakes were made, Corbett got lucky, but he hunted me fair and square. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ548szOYNd9B_MftpPNFUHCn1nsJR8u45e5YQVNtxgtVItch0mKK_Shf7Wj2Q_e6_Kh0hyiDOKMp8XfgEiAxrNEaFKhDDtssbX0sh4gWwFwtFs5a9i3zQOEuY7QV7aW3IsZPYgNSw5W-R/s1600/Corbett+Attack.mp4_1a.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ548szOYNd9B_MftpPNFUHCn1nsJR8u45e5YQVNtxgtVItch0mKK_Shf7Wj2Q_e6_Kh0hyiDOKMp8XfgEiAxrNEaFKhDDtssbX0sh4gWwFwtFs5a9i3zQOEuY7QV7aW3IsZPYgNSw5W-R/s1600/Corbett+Attack.mp4_1a.bmp" /></a></div>
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JV's leg wounds</div>
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Had his sister, Panna, not come out on the rock and deceived me into thinking it was him, I would have been far more cautious. The last few metres he covered the ground in a split second, it was incredibly quick. </div>
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In fact, when he caught me, I was moving away from the gate. The job was complete, yet he had the presence of mind to reach through the gate and grab me.<br />
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When a male tiger is ready for dispersal, nature equips him with everything he needs to become a territorial male. Firstly, his body bulks up, Corbett is in magnificent physical condition, his neck swells to make himself look even more ferocious. <br />
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He is prepared to take more risks as he searches for a new territory. This could be his first time of interacting with mature females. Sex, like in every animal, is a strong driving force. <br />
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Corbett can't do this, he is in a boma. He is confined when he needs freedom the most. He is angry with me. He was once wild and now he is confined.<br />
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I am not ashamed to say I am in awe of this magnificent cat. At the same time, I am afraid of him. He is the one cat of the 14 that has the power to destroy this project and take 13 other tigers with him.<br />
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I come from a background of wild life management. I have been taught to look holistically, to save the species, not the individual.<br />
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Take into account that in the 80's, I personally culled over 60 lions to protect the dwindling wildebeest populations in the Sabi Sand. <br />
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In the drought of 1985, when the buffalo were starving, I killed over 200 buffalo and fed the meat to the surrounding human populations.<br />
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I waited for tens of hours outside Zambia's Luangwa National Park to kill a crocodile that has killed and eaten over 65 people.<br />
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I have killed by lethal injection leopard and lion that could no longer catch their natural prey and were on the way to becoming man-eaters.<br />
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Therefore I am no stranger to these tough decisions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhRma7H3fHrgz5KMijGuTV3eP0Z0CS1Y1aAb3OvV2tf3jFc4POoTJo-SznlHuFs9rzdLsZAgGFA8-6hdSnBtpp6EwSO9cfrb0Jkenz0ScE-lt0RuWtzKpg7k4tQoZEN5XUryDshujIlcq/s1600/_MG_3369sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhRma7H3fHrgz5KMijGuTV3eP0Z0CS1Y1aAb3OvV2tf3jFc4POoTJo-SznlHuFs9rzdLsZAgGFA8-6hdSnBtpp6EwSO9cfrb0Jkenz0ScE-lt0RuWtzKpg7k4tQoZEN5XUryDshujIlcq/s320/_MG_3369sm.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Corbett confined (picture JV)</div>
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Consider Corbett's options:</div>
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1) Sell him to a zoo. There are 45 000 tigers in zoo's around the world. <br />
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2) The Tiger Canyons Constitution is clear - the tigers at Tiger Canyons must be free ranging - Corbett is confined.<br />
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3) Hunt Corbett for $200 000. I get numerous offers to hunt tigers, it is illegal. Tigers are under CITES Appendix I - they cannot be hunted and anyway, it is against my personal ethic.<br />
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If anyone has an alternative to my proposal, I would welcome any other route. Let's explore every avenue possible.<br />
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Corbett will be darted and then killed by lethal injection by a professional vet. His body must be treated at all times with dignity. I will have the vet systematically remove his body parts and this is where I need your help. <br />
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I intend to find the leading scientists in the field to test the body parts and to state categorically whether or not there are any useful medicinal properties as the Chinese claim. I will go to the best universities in the world to achieve this. Corbett will not die in vain.<br />
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Read Daryl Balfour's excellent response to my proposal:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAJK6LgQwmfzgcuDX8XvgHOqZ90QJnMjaM_Ch-axIKHofx4C9wT5zifl2pNV1-7T1uIUe-TjiliDBYV5iYAl6aJIPNVp1xRAiyVnVBPcP_19IvtK3ZCtv4o9Vxyt4xr0zO5s5bXqv8IuN/s1600/3997003_orig.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAJK6LgQwmfzgcuDX8XvgHOqZ90QJnMjaM_Ch-axIKHofx4C9wT5zifl2pNV1-7T1uIUe-TjiliDBYV5iYAl6aJIPNVp1xRAiyVnVBPcP_19IvtK3ZCtv4o9Vxyt4xr0zO5s5bXqv8IuN/s320/3997003_orig.sm.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
JV and Julie (picture Daryl Balfour)</div>
<em>Dear JV, </em> <br />
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<em>I have just become aware of your thoughts - and I pray it is not a decision fait accompli - of shooting/destroying Corbett! </em></div>
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<em>Please do not allow yourself to make this decision while you are lying in your hospital bed, in pain and possibly confused. </em></div>
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<em>Your many, many fans around the world, and me and Sharna included, will be totally devastated should you take such a drastic step. Such knee-jerk reactions can be expected by wildlife managers such as the old KNP lot, who for instance sent out the order to destroy the elephant Tshokwane after he trampled me. Fortunately I regained consciousness in hospital in Nelspruit before the order could be carried out, and was able to send my pleas for the elephant to the park warden, who acceded to my request. My point was that the elephant did what bull elephants sometimes do, that I was on foot in his terrain, and the risk was all my own. Nobody other than I was to blame, and certainly not the elephant. </em></div>
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<em>Although I was not present when your accident occurred, from what I have gathered Corbett attacked you as a potential male rival for the in-oestrus Julie, while you were closing a gate adjacent to where he was. This is natural behaviour, and you, JV, are to be commended for having managed to rear totally wild, naturally behaving, tigers in the heart of the Karoo. Destroy Corbett and you lend credence to all the nay-sayers & critics who like to refer to Tiger Canyons as "JV's tiger zoo". To the best of our understanding, Tiger Canyons is meant to be a game reserve where tigers roam in as natural conditions as possible. It should not be a place where people can get out of their vehicles and walk around, petting tigers. </em></div>
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<em>The accident (if I have the scenario correct) occurred because you were not concentrating, were not following your own strict safety protocols. If anything, the incident should simply make you more safety conscious, less willing to step out of a vehicle anywhere near wild tigers. </em></div>
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<em>I understand fully the reasons behind shooting known man-eaters...once a lion/leopard/tiger etc tastes Man, it will target this soft-skinned prey forever after. To my understanding though, Corbett did not manage to actually bite you (correct me if I am wrong) and his injuries to you were caused by his claws. Corbett is NOT a man-eater...he is a naturally wild and aggressive tiger whose testosterone levels were elevated due to the presence of an oestrus female nearby. Had he killed you or anyone else, become a Man-eater, the situation would be somewhat different. </em></div>
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<em>As Sunette asks in her email, should the tigers of the Sundarbans be destroyed because they occasionally kill & eat fishermen? </em></div>
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<em>Euthanize Corbett at the risk of losing thousands of your fans, much of the support for Tiger Canyons, and the respect of people who currently hold you in awe. </em></div>
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<em>I really think this is a decision that should not be taken until you are well over the ordeal, have returned to Tiger Canyons, and are able to assess the situation on the ground. </em></div>
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A week later, Daryl changed his mind...</div>
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<em>I have given Corbett a lot of deep thought and now agree that JV needs to put him down, painful as this realization is. The liabilities are just too enormous. He is proven to be aggressive, not only the attack on JV now, but his previous attempt to smash through the wire to get to JV when he was walking to the reservoir. That is now all public knowledge. </em></div>
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<em>If Corbett did manage to smash through the fence and kill an innocent person walking past the farm, say, down near the bottom road, Nature Conservation would probably insist the entire farm be closed down and JV would be sued for everything he's got, and we'd lose all that Tiger Canyons stands for. </em></div>
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<em>Corbett is likely to do this again, he's obviously anti-human now (despite Ricky's experience in the floods) and the risks not only to JV but to other tourists at TC are just too high. </em></div>
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<em>Sadly, if a leopard at Londolozi broke into a room, or climbed on to the deck and attacked someone there, it too would be put down. Wild animals are meant to have a natural fear and aversion to humans, particularly here in Africa and Asia where they evolved alongside of us, Man the Hunter. </em></div>
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<em>Yes, the sad facts are that Corbett is confined, frustrated at not being able to fulfill his breeding imperative, and JV needs much more land. In the interim, I think the least horrible thing to do is put him down humanely, not into a zoo cage, and not at the hands of some stupid big game hunter who'd probably injure him first.</em></div>
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<em>Daryl Balfour</em><em><br /></em></div>
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<em>Safaris: www.wildphotossafaris.com</em></div>
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In my first newsletter, I've failed to thank the following people:</div>
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Dr du Toit Botha and his wife, Adri, who treated me in Philippolis, Dr Carin van Schalkwyk who organised the opening of the stops on the N1 for the ambulance. I would like to thank the ambulance drivers and paramedics who treated me for their excellent skills in keeping me alive.<br />
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In a conversation with Dr Willie Marx who assisted with the first operation, he gave me 10% chance of surviving the infection.<br />
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Today I have taken my first tentative steps, only 20 metres, but better than nothing.<br />
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Once again, I would like to thank every one around the world for their love, prayers and positive energy. I assure you I will be back soon into Tiger Conservation.<br />
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Tread lightly on the earth<br />
JV</div>Tiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com116tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-49308700837941434332011-09-23T05:05:00.000-07:002011-09-23T05:21:03.044-07:00Rhino poaching in South Africa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #b45f06;">Rhino poaching statistic in SA for last few years:</span></h2>
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2007: 13<br />
2008: 83<br />
2009: 122<br />
2010: 333<br />
2011: 287 (till 8th September) </div>
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Despite extensive television coverage and print media, the rhino poaching syndicates continue to deplete South Africa's rhino populations.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nynSjYc-A8FIdH7udqmJu2FchDbBU_cpPNKq8J2mVz9gwqI_cqASqnkbskcJk1izjA5QhbsPwG4KP-0IWXyYFjJEkHaGo9o4SiP3ihAznI6IZ_pVcd7R8_2qKM6jhji6PaUzADEBBwVc/s1600/rhino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nynSjYc-A8FIdH7udqmJu2FchDbBU_cpPNKq8J2mVz9gwqI_cqASqnkbskcJk1izjA5QhbsPwG4KP-0IWXyYFjJEkHaGo9o4SiP3ihAznI6IZ_pVcd7R8_2qKM6jhji6PaUzADEBBwVc/s400/rhino.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Rhino's killed by poachers</div>
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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There is strong evidence that poorly paid officials in the Provincial Departments are colluding with the syndicates and permits are being issued and a "blind eye" turned when necessary. </div>
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I have personally written to the President and the Minister of Wildlife and Tourism, but the bureaucratic replies, I've received, are totally inadequate. </div>
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I may just point out to the President that the rhino is an extremely valuable asset to South Africa in terms of a job creator. </div>
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The white rhino especially, is the second biggest land mammal in South Africa. It has dinosaur like features and many photographers rate it as one of their favorite animals to photograph. </div>
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Two people who are at the front line of the rhino war, are helicopter pilot John Bassi and veterinarian Dr. Charlotte Moueix. </div>
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John Varty</div>
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">This is their story:</span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-US">Most of the time it’s a privilege flying free every day with open space and wildlife abounding, lately however it sickens me. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I climbed to 1,500 feet above ground to benefit from the amazing tail wind bringing me Northwards from the central Free State where the clouds were darkening. Another cold front was sweeping through the interior of South Africa, leaving a trail of ice and snow in its wake, a major inconvenience since I was relying on working in rough country and we needed good visibility. The following morning I painfully finished a preflight, hardly able to move my arms and head due to the five layers of clothing that were cocooning me. It was only 8:30 am but the freezing wind was already restlessly brushing and plucking at the tall golden grass all around the helicopter. I gazed with apprehension towards the seemingly endless jumbled mass of mountains in every direction. My stomach tightened with nervous butterflies as I imagined how it would soon feel to be hammered by the turbulence in the deep valleys where I would be spending the next 14 days. At least the visibility was amazing, all the dirt and muck in the atmosphere had been blown away, replacing the gray smudge with crystal clear blue sky. The sun was feeble; the weather-man had said it would be a maximum of +6c, without the wind chill. The helicopters blades were blanketed in a fluffy white frost, an occurrence delaying our take off each day until 9 am, when the ice would finally succumb to the suns attempt at warmth and drip away. </span> </div>
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A large rhino horn can fetch R1 million on the black market</h5>
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<span lang="EN-US">My task was to provide air support to the counter poaching teams or CPU’s, patrolling the entire game reserve in a methodical and on going basis. Each day we would cover around 20 000 hectares, needing to be airborne from the HQ as soon as there was good light, then fly out to a different quadrant where we would remain aloft for most of the day, refueling from drums every 3 hours. Our goal was to account for each and every rhino, searching every gulley and hill while praying we would not come across new carcasses, wishing that we would be blessed with the luck to discover poachers and get our revenge. For this operation, the perfectly clean, clear light would be a huge bonus; the bitterly cold air would be all I could ask for to improve the helicopters performance, although the relentless wind was a problem. Blowing at 8 meters per second from the south with stronger gusts, combined with the rotary turbulence that was lurking behind the hills, the wind presented some danger. I examined the contours of the topographic map for the day’s section, relieved to discover that most of the high terrain and valleys ran in an east/west orientation. This would be my preferred direction of transects during our sorties. The prevailing wind was southerly which meant that I would mostly have the option of benefiting from up-draughts on the ridges, also a cross wind was safer to work with than a tail wind. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Armed with 7.62mm FN Browning’s, clad in military style webbing and camouflage, the scary looking anti-poaching team arrived, fully kitted for their deployment to a remote mountaintop. They would be spending the next few days out on patrol, relieving another “stick” that would be walking out to a remote pick up point, awaiting my arrival. The tired guys, lead by Seymor were still perched snugly between bushes on the top of a strategically positioned hill, an observation post, concealed so as to not compromise themselves as they watched the world below. Discipline and trust is a prerequisite when combining helicopters with eager men, armed with semi-automatic assault rifles, low flying and confined landings. Due to the necessity of having unobstructed visibility, rapid de-bussing, the possibility of opening fire onto armed poachers and the safety aspect of keeping loaded weapons pointing outside the aircraft, we would always fly, doors off. The biting cold wind was almost unbearable while flying for a few hours at a time with no break, imposing the added danger of losing articles of extra clothing in the form of gloves, scarves or balaclavas. Items that could easily fly through the tail rotor if blown out of the cabin by an unexpected gust, hit the tail rotor and certainly bring us all to a spinning end. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">After double-checking my passenger’s security, I maneuvered myself into my seat for the start up. Although simple enough, lighting the turbine takes huge electrical power and is a procedure that I perform with apprehension in sub zero temperatures. Using a 24volt booster pack as security reduces the risk of a hot start that could result from the power loss in the main battery, from a freezing night. We lifted off from the helipad into the fresh breeze that plucked the fully fuelled aircraft skyward with almost 800 feet per minute indicated on the vertical speed indicator, but the chill made us all gasp with fright. Our eyes were watering and we attempted to huddle ourselves out of the airflow, setting course for the 20minute ferry to the remote wilderness area. The morning sun unable to reach any of the valleys, left them cast in deep shadows and frosted in white, in contrast the warming slopes of the hills provided comfort to herds of game. A false cense of peace prevailed as we floated over zebra and wildebeest that reluctantly trotted away from our brief imposition, the tail wind catapulted us forward, detached from reality, our shadow grew and shrunk over the undulating terrain. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">On reaching the starting point of our first session, I descended into a wide, open valley, blackened with ash from a recent fire, the low rays from the morning sun accentuating the new flush of green shoots of grass, a real delicacy for rhino. The helicopter crabbed its way along, 150 feet above the ground, attempting to hold a straight track up and down the mountains, deviating only to glance a peek into shadowed ravines and onto hidden knolls. With our combined eyes peeled in search of rhino, we continued, back and forth along 400 meter wide transects, averaging 60 knots groundspeed, slowing and descending to identify, photograph, sex and age each individual that we came across. Approaching another gradually sloping mountainside that we would need to climb over, I lowered the helicopters nose to accelerate, simultaneously pulling in some power, banking slightly to benefit from any up-draughts. Suddenly the all too familiar rotting stench of death filled the air, banking into the wind we followed the smell like a foxhound, then, next to a line of trees below lay the rotting carcass of another rhino. The drill had become routine, with 692 dead rhino in South Africa over the last 29 months, but the sadness never goes away. Icicled, climbing to 1000 feet in order to make line of sight radio contact with a ground team, the silence inside the cabin matching the glum expressions on everyone’s faces, I called in the closest game scouts. I selected a safe landing site near a deep donga surrounded by large trees and turned onto a short final approach aiming for a small, dust free flat opening just large enough for the helicopter, 100 meters from the dead rhino. This would be my LZ for the next few landings and I made sure that I had all my markers perfectly memorized, such as a small dry stump a foot in front of the right skid, such things ensure that every landing is made in precisely the same place, avoiding a blade strike. It is during times like this that I appreciate the benefits of working with a trained crew, there is no way that its practical to go through the delays of closing throttle, applying frictions, untangling oneself to help everyone out, fastening their safety harnesses, headsets etc. before reversing the entire procedure. The CPU’s departed from the aircraft giving me the thumbs up, signifying that all was secure, with peace of mind I lifted the collective and climbed away vertically to minimize dust, setting course for the forensics team and all their gruesome equipment. The area around the carcass would be searched for clues; police forensics conducted an autopsy and recovered the bullets and any other evidence and another rhino got scratched off the list. During my approach for landing not too close to the carcass for fear of blowing away evidence, a brown hyena loped off, guiltily looking back over his shoulder, while a group of pied crows scattered away between the trees. The young bull lay twisted with his head facing down hill, the top of his face chopped away with an axe. The trackers located blood a few hundred meters away, east along a well-used game trail coming down the hillside. Later with the aid of a metal detector, two mushroom-shaped military .303 bullet heads were found. One, from a hurried shot that wounded the animal in the lower back the other, a round that penetrated the rhino’s lungs, allowing him enough strength to run down the hill before collapsing in a frothy pool of blood. </span></div>
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We arrived too late to catch the poachers</h5>
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<span lang="EN-US">Our butcher’s work done, we returned to the helicopter to swap over the CPU teams and continue our patrol, lifting off with the detached feeling that comes with flight, leaving the putrid remains for the scavengers. Picking up our last transect, we continued our search, each of us absorbed in our own thoughts of anger and defeat, willing a poacher to show his face for just a second. The shadows grew longer as the late afternoon came upon us, visibility rapidly deteriorated from 4pm and we had all become frozen to the bone, and so, calling it a day we turned for home. At the helipad we were welcomed by the news that a long horned rhino cow had been seen by tourists, badly wounded, limping with a calf trotting ahead. It was too dark to fly and still had to clean and inspect the aircraft, re fuel and tidy up, organize the following days fuel drop, flying crew and download the days data, leaving barely enough time to cook, shower and sleep. </span> </div>
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<span lang="EN-US">All too soon the alarm clock went off, leaving me startled in the semi darkness with a mind full of thoughts of wind, mountains, dead rhinos and memories of how cold I would soon be. By 9am we were back in the morning sky, cruising along, resuming our mission in the North Eastern corner, searching desperately for long horn, to no avail, then southwards into an area that has been particularly hard hit by poachers over the last 18 months. We all felt stupidly relieved to be making such a presence with the helicopter, thinking that this would act as some kind of temporary deterrent to the savages. We had just settled into our routine of searching when one of the beige colored land cruisers operated by field rangers appeared, hurtling towards us followed by a plume of brown dust, the driver frantically waving to get our attention. I selected his frequency on the HF radio and deciphered from his high pitched, excited voice that trackers had found new holes cut in the electric boundary fence and that poachers were in the park. Receiving the description of the scene, I set the needles to maximum power and we accelerated towards the trackers location, unsure of what to expect, but filled with anticipation. New information that we received en-route was conflicting, however we had the name of a valley where we were needed, fast, and we had high expectations of action. Arriving overhead the scout who was waiting at the place where the fence was cut, he pointed in the general direction that we should head. We would need to pass over a small ridgeline, turn left around the foot of a mountain and enter the valley at high speed, low level, maintaining an element of surprise. We still did not have radio contact with the trackers but felt sure that the moment we arrived on the scene we would manage to communicate, hoping that the unexpected arrival of a helicopter would panic the poachers, forcing them to hide. This would give the trackers an advantage to run on the spoor and together we could get lucky and ambush the poachers, who would not stand a chance with our combined firepower. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Our nerves were coiled like cobras ready to strike as we rounded the entrance to the valley at 160 kilometers per hour, climbing to 500 feet and calling on the radio, ready to offer instant support to the men on the ground. None of us were ready for the anticlimax and shock that lay before us. The two white rhino lay a few meters from each other, their crimson red blood spilled in pools onto the earth, scarlet gaping wounds glared mockingly up at us from their uniform gray bodies where their horns should have been. The two adult rhino lay facing each other, lifeless, but so freshly killed that they were not even cold. The poachers were long gone, leaving behind two more of Gods beautiful creatures, slaughtered for human greed. Both had been killed instantly by high powered rifles fired from only 20 meters away as both rhino lay sleeping. The adult cow was pregnant with a six-month fetus. Two days later we were back in the same area responding to another report of holes cut through the fence, then during our search we found a motionless, forlorn looking rhino calf, alone and sad, a few hundred meters from the two carcasses. We descended to look closer, realizing that we had discovered a 15month old orphaned youngster; her mother lay rotting nearby. </span></div>
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Removing the horn before the poachers can get to it</h5>
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<span lang="EN-US">What, you may well ask is being done by the “authorities” to try and stop this destruction? Nothing. This question takes me back twelve years to a charter flight I once did, transporting a VIP pseudo conservation politician to address the Game Rangers Association of Africa. This annual meeting is a forum of representatives from all over Africa, from all the major conservation organizations. Standing at the podium presenting the opening address to the delegates, this man screwed his face up into a tight frown. He shook his head in disapproval and slowly spat out the words, “What I see here before me, disgusts me, an elitist minority organization. There will be no money to protect your rhino. For the next 30 years the only money that will be spent will be for the community, so, if you want to protect your rhino, you will need to find your own money." This remark I have since discovered was an understatement! This is the bottom line, the reason we are losing the war against poaching. There is NO funding what so ever from the state to fight the fight. The only support to the few determined individuals who actually manage to do something positive, comes from public donations and handouts. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We had been working eight days and were back in the central section of the reserve for a couple of hours one morning, we had settled back into flying transects, having guided the field rangers onto the carcass of the long horned cow. Her calf no where to be seen, long horn had managed to move 2 kilometers from her last known position, she had laid down inside a bushy thicket and given in to her wounds. Tired and hungry I turned the helicopter and approached the fuel drop off point where I knew we had very needed toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches with hot, sweet, milky coffee awaiting us. Instead, confusion reigned on the ground when I landed, there were broken urgent messages from the observation post on the western border. They had three, armed poachers visual, walking in broad daylight a kilometer inside the reserve, hugging a river line at the foot of a hill and moving into a thicket of Tambotie trees.Seymore shouted excitedly over the radio," Wearing a white T-shirt and denims, one carrying a red bag, two weapons, another in a brown shirt and khaki longs, 300 meters from the OP and moving west”. In a mad rush we pumped another two hours worth of fuel into the helicopter, grabbed air to ground radios, three 20 round magazines of ammunition and with three armed scouts ready, headed back skyward. With adrenalin filled veins, complete focus, nerves on high alert and this time, utter determination to kill, we flew as fast as the helicopter would allow. Planning the route carefully, staying low and using the valleys to shield the slapping of our advancing rotor blades, we headed towards the unknown. Ground troops mobilized from two directions to assist in a sweep of the river line from east and west, simultaneously as we crept low level all along the river, firing shots at will into thick clusters of bushes, nothing moved. Four tense hours we spent, searched every nook and cranny shooting into every possible hiding place, the scouts on the ground moving in an extended line behind a tracker, spoor from three poachers split into three directions. Even with the combined operations of SAPS dogs, the flying squad, a police helicopter with infrared vision capability, eight ground scouts, trackers, the men on the OP and our selves, somehow the poachers escaped. We were all very despondent. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We continued flying every day, finding 13 dead rhino in as many days, we also successfully captured the first little orphan. Two days later we discovered another little girl, standing next to her bloated dead mother, her huge worthless horns still intact because she managed to escape, as long horn did, only to die later from her bullet wounds. We all thought we had done such a good thing capturing the two young rhino, placing them together and offering them protection from the ever-prowling lions, sadly neither of them could adapt to captivity. Arriving at the pens early on the second morning with fresh bales of fodder laced with sweet molasses, we were greeted by the motionless body of the youngest calf. Everyone available went searching for long horn’s 15 month old bull calf, hoping to capture him before the lions did, but we never found him. The days blended into nights in a hazy and surreal manner with blurred and mixed up memories of death, exhaustion and defeat. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">If you wish to help fight this war please contact me or look at <a href="http://www.stoprhinopoaching.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #707849;">www.stoprhinopoaching.com</span></a></span></div>
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John Bassi</div>
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CEO, Chief Pilot</div>
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Bassair Aviation</div>
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Cell: +27 82 892 9444</div>
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<a href="mailto:bassijohn@worldonline.co.za"><span style="color: #b6b04d;">bassijohn@worldonline.co.za</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bassair.co.za/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b6b04d;">www.bassair.co.za</span></a></div>
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Tiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-3204977943093227712011-08-31T04:50:00.000-07:002011-08-31T05:02:14.102-07:00The Body Parts ScamA sign at the entrance of Tiger Canyons now reads "For their own safety, all tigers at Tiger Canyons have satellite tracking devices".
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<br />Another sign reads "Abandoned at birth, raised by human beings, rare and beautiful, taken by greed"
<br />Shine: 9 January 2009 - 15 August 2010
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<br />The death of Shine (Newsletter 37) still haunts me, but today things have become a lot clearer. On the day that she was killed, a rhino was killed near Tiger Canyons and the horn hacked off. I have always suspected but could never prove that the men that killed Shine were connected to the rhino poaching.
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<br />Recently, on Carte Blanche, Taiwanese citizens were arrested for trading in rhino horn and "lion body parts".
<br />In 2010, an International Wildlife Agency monitoring the trafficking of illegal products, had contacted me and asked me if I knew of a trade in tiger body parts from South Africa. My reply was that I didn't think there were enough tigers to sustain the trade. I was wrong!
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<br />In South Africa there are over 5,000 captive lions providing the lucrative canned lion industry with trophies for overseas hunters.
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<br />In the Free State alone, 100 male lions can be shot in a single season. Normally the hunter takes the trophy, but not the body parts.
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<br />In addition, from a population of 5,000 lions, there will be natural mortalities from sick and old lions. etc. Let's say 5% natural mortality. This would be around 250 dead lions per year. Add another 300 hunted for trophies and it's conceivable that the body parts of 550 lions would become available.
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<br />A lion is not a Cites Appendix 1 animal and therefore the Taiwanese men can legally ship all the lion body parts to China. Once the body parts are in China, guess what, the "lion body parts" become "tiger body parts" and no one is any the wiser except the price of tiger body parts is so much higher.
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<br />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.
<br />So the ball game for the tigers at Tiger Canyons has changed. I must now accept that like owners of rhino's, I will now be a target for unscrupulous people who would attempt to steal a tiger for the canned tiger industry or kill a tiger for the body parts. The money is big, the trade is lucrative and the greed is higher than ever.
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<br />Even if the Taiwanese men go to jail, you can be sure there will be others exploiting the "lion body parts" loophole.
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<br />Thank you to Lane Batot and others who responded to my newsletter, Tiger Subspecies. The responses are on my website and are outstanding. When the Florida panther was so low in numbers, where did they go for panthers? To Canada! I hope they weren't "mixing subspecies" (smile). Another excellent example is where wolves and coyotes have crossbred naturally in the wilds. So it seems that nature too has its methods of cross breeding to keep species strong and to invent new species as well.
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<br />Back at Tiger Canyons, many photographers have written to me wishing they could have filmed and photographed the tigers in the snow. If it is any comfort to you, no one could get into the sanctuary, it was totally waterlogged. In addition, the weight of the frozen snow and gale force winds had collapsed the perimeter fence in three places, so we were back to repairing fences.
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<br />I decided to walk, cameras in hand into the tiger area, a pretty stupid thing to do. For my trouble, I got knocked down by the tigress Shadow, who was invigorated by the snow. I did manage to get these pictures captioned "Shadow charging from the snow"
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<br />Some truly breathtaking pictures have been entered for the photo competition. Because of the interest and all the setbacks, we have moved the closing date for pictures to 15th of November. We have decided to split the photo-shopped pictures from the straight pictures and have prizes for both, so send any type of picture you like. Only three pictures per photographer please. Children's photographs welcome, put your age on entry.
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<br />I was fortunate and privileged to film Zaria's first kill, a springbuck. (Zaria was hand raised and is now 30 months old) After she had caught the springbuck, she had no idea how to kill it, proving that the suffocating throat grip is learnt and not instinctive.
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<br />The new area is complete and fully stocked with suitable prey and is awaiting inspection by Nature Conservation.
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<br />A prize is being offered for the first photographer to capture a picture of a tiger swimming in the pools below the platform.
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<br />Tread lightly on the earth
<br />JV
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<br />Tiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219478273210809784.post-50618736427993656722008-04-12T04:16:00.000-07:002009-05-11T04:00:30.135-07:00JV and The Big CatsQuestions and feedback about tigers, The Big Cats and any conservation issuesTiger Canyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17639609393209322482noreply@blogger.com2