John Varty's ex tells of tiger attack

[GameFarmer]

http://www.channel24.co.za/Movies/Ne...ttack-20120330



Bloemfontein – The young male tiger that attacked well-known South African conservationist and filmmaker John Varty, 61, only wanted to showcase his maleness, Varty's ex-wife and TV personality Gillian van Houten told reporters on Thursday.

Varty was mauled by Corbett, a 4-year-old Bengal tiger.

She described the incident as a freak accident.

Van Houten said her ex-husband was busy closing the gate between two camps after he and a television crew had shot footage of another tiger.

The two camps had gates next to each other.

'Show off his manliness'

At one stage Corbett pushed his paw through the gate and grabbed Varty. The male wanted to pull Varty into the camp and pinned him against the gate with such force that some of his ribs broke.

After Corbett trapped her ex-husband, the animal started biting him.

Members of the TV crew managed to scare off the tiger and rescue Varty.

"The tiger saw JV (as she called Varty) as a dominant male. The attack was just about one male challenging another male."

"Corbett is still young and is coming up with all kinds of tricks. He wanted to show off his manliness."

Van Houten said Corbett was calm and stable on Thursday.

"We won’t get rid of him."

Progress

Varty was recuperating in the high care unit of the Mediclinic in Bloemfontein after he spent about seven hours in the operating theatre on Wednesday night for the cleaning and stitching of his wounds.

General trauma surgeon Dr Vivian Simmons, who was treating Varty, said he had a serious injury to his chest, broken ribs as well as an injury to his left thigh.

"It could have been worse. We cleaned all the wounds and closed them up and I am satisfied with his progress."

Varty was on antibiotics to prevent infection.

Employees of Varty's tiger farm, Tiger Canyons, and members of a TV crew from Aquavisions Productions on Wednesday night sped with the injured Varty to Dr Du Toit Botha in Philippolis where he was stabilised and brought to Trompsburg.

ER24 paramedics from the Life-Rosepark hospital fetched him with an ambulance.

'He will overcome it'

Gauteng tiger handler John (The Tigerman) Wagenaar, who had been working with big cats for 20 years, said Varty was lucky to be alive as an attack by a big cat like a tiger was dangerous.

Wagenaar, who had also been attacked by a lion and a tiger, said a tiger could weigh up to 250kg and had dangerous claws and big teeth.

The attack could leave Varty physically and spiritually scarred and it may be difficult for him to once again go into the tiger camp. "I don't know how seriously Varty is injured but if he has a passion and loves what he does, he will overcome it."

Simmons said Varty should recover completely.

End



Mmmm, nice ex.

[Messor]

Some people are so smart they know exactly what animals are thinking, look where it got Varty.

[Paul]

"ex" huh?

Far as I know they have never married, and are far from 'ex' status.

Nonetheless the rest of the article is relatively accurate. Had supper last night with good friends including the owner of Aquavision (who is a close personal friend of JV/Gillian's). JV has suffered a punctured lung, etc, etc. His first words when he regained consciousness were: 'Please tell me you captured that on film?'

They unfortunately hadn't. The producer grabbed JV by the leg and was engaging in a tug of war whilst the cameraman grabbed a pole and smacked the puddy tat in the face a couple times until he released John.

[Paul]

Some people are so smart they know exactly what animals are thinking, look where it got Varty.

Shit happens, mate. Happened to John Varty yesterday. Happened to Steve Irwin a couple years ago. Could happen to you or me tomorrow.

[Messor]

I have no problem with her theory, but you don't say that this is what happened , you say that you have a possible answer as to what happened. Tigers are tigers sub-males or not.

[GameFarmer]

"ex" huh?

Far as I know they have never married, and are far from 'ex' status.

Damn. I knew it was too good to be true. Please tell Gillian she has (yet another) admirer.

[deonh]

Shit happens, mate. Happened to John Varty yesterday. Happened to Steve Irwin a couple years ago. Could happen to you or me tomorrow.

I hear ya Paul, but we (or rather "I") choose not to play chommie-chommie with a wild animal and pretend it's gonna be all right and my life will wind-down over an African sunset to the theme music of "Born Free". It's not. If you choose that path it's going to end with the sound of crunching bone and a snarl. And if it doesn't, like Varty, count yourself bloody lucky that your stupidity didn't kill you (or others around you).

I cringe every time I see some guy or lady-guy doing a Siegfried & Roy (and look how things turned out for ole Roy...) with a wild animal and people look on wishing they could do the same. And ultimately some Japanese tourist gets out of his rented Hyundai to take a closer photo of the "tame" lion. Lunch time. Sushi all-round.

The whole whispering with elephants, walking with lions and running with cheetahs thing will always end in tears and / or blood (usually both). I'm rarely saddened when someone like Varty gets tagged, nice guy as he may be. As you say, shit happens and he made his own by choice. It totally bums me out though when the cat / bear / elephant gets snuffed in the process of human ego and stupidity. Thankfully it didn't happen in this case.

[JS4]

This is a bit like the discussion about that other oke who likes grinding cracks.

So bloody what if the guy wants to risk his life? As long as he doesn't endanger innocent people along the way then go for it - who are we to say differently?

[deonh]

So bloody what if the guy wants to risk his life? As long as he doesn't endanger innocent people along the way then go for it - who are we to say differently?

Problem is, these folks rarely travel alone, love an audience and they DO ultimately endanger others. I don't give a rat's ass about the "innocent people" who wander into a lion's cage to have a photo taken. Pisses me off when the lion (invariably) gets put down for doing what it was designed to do. And you'd be a little more than surprised if you knew how many people get nipped, scratched, bitten and gored emulating the touchy-feely that they see.

[JS4]

Problem is, these folks rarely travel alone, love an audience and they DO ultimately endanger others. I don't give a rat's ass about the "innocent people" who wander into a lion's cage to have a photo taken. Pisses me off when the lion (invariably) gets put down for doing what it was designed to do. And you'd be a little more than surprised if you knew how many people get nipped, scratched, bitten and gored emulating the touchy-feely that they see.

I totally agree with you regarding the animal being put down.

However, I just can't find any sympathy inside me for those who may get hurt while emulating anything.

It's called free choice and IMO as jy dom is, dan moet jy k*k! Nobody forces you to go emulate anybody.