Tiger Man of Africa

Seatao

Photograph by John Varty

In just over 100 years, we have lost 97 percent of the world's wild tigers. Hundreds of thousands of tigers once roamed the lands of Asia, but today, their numbers have fallen to just 3,200. And according to the Wildlife Conservation Society, of this remnant population, just 1,000 are breeding females—individuals that hold the last hope for this magnificent and iconic great cat.
Pictured above is Seatao, one of the male tigers living at John Varty's Tiger Canyons. Located in South Africa, Tiger Canyons is an unlikely habitat for modern tigers, who are strictly an Asian species. But, while his methods can be controversial, Varty has a noble ambition: to foster a new population of wild tigers.
Mating

Photograph by John Varty

A very important part of John Varty's project at Tiger Canyons is to see that his tigers reproduce. Pictured here is the mating of two of his adult tigers, Seatao and Julie. Before the process of mating is over, they have over 50 sexual encounters in just three days. And in just over three months, Julie delivers a litter: Sunderban, Zaria, and Shine.
Baby Sunderban

Photograph by John Varty

One of three cubs born to Julie and Seatao in January 2009 is male cub Sunderban, here only three weeks old. Sadly, little Sunderban and his litter-mates are abandoned by his mother Julie an hour after their birth. Facing almost certain death, the cubs are rescued and hand-raised by John Varty, even though this goes against the mission of Tiger Canyons: to foster a population of wild tigers, raised in the wild, by their own mothers. Varty is well aware that the cubs he raises are at a distinct disadvantage. The cubs abandoned by Julie display a lack of aggression and fear of humans that could prove fatal in the wild.
Sunderban at 6 Weeks

Photograph by John Varty

Adorable little Sunderban is now six weeks old. He was fathered by Seatao, presently the biggest tiger at Tiger Canyons, weighing over 500 pounds. It is likely that Sunderban will grow to be even bigger than his dad.

John Varty is hand-raising the cub and his litter-mates Zaria and Shine, teaching them hunting skills, and doing all he can to be a good mother to them. Unfortunately, these cubs are at a distinct disadvantage not being raised by their own tiger mother, Julie.
The Tortoise and the Cub

Photograph by John Varty

Here is another cub from Julie's first litter, Zaria, at six weeks old. Like her brother Sunderban, Zaria is being hand-raised by John Varty after her mother, Julie, abandoned them shortly after birth.

As Zaria matures, her personality becomes apparent: She is a gentle, sweet-tempered young thing.
Zaria the Tiger Cub

Photograph by John Varty

Zaria, six weeks old here, is one of the litter abadoned by their mother, Julie.

In the wild, tiger cubs remain with their mother until they are roughtly two or two and a half years old. Tiger cubs are especially vulnerable in their first few months, with a mortality rate as high as 50 percent, sometimes more. They are vulnerable to falling victim to attacks by dogs, leopards, snakes, or other tigers—therefore, in these initial years, all their mother’s attention goes into keeping them alive and healthy.
Cubs of a Different Color

Photograph by John Varty

Litter-mates Sunderban (male) and Shine (female) are now 12 weeks old. Note the difference in head size between the male and female. Male tigers are larger than female tigers in every subspecies.
A Tiger Named Shine

Photograph by John Varty

Shine, one of the three abandoned cubs born to Julie and Seatao, is now quite grown at 12 months.

White tigers like Shine carry a gene that is only present in around 1 in every 10,000 tigers. They are prone to having crossed eyes (a condition known as "strabismus"). Contrary to myth, they are not albinos, since white tigers have pigmented stripes and blue eyes.
Blue-Eyed Girl

Photograph by John Varty

Shine, in fact, has stunning blue eyes.

Tragically, she was killed in September 2010 by a male tiger named Corbett, after she was darted by poachers operating at night.
Taking a Swim

Photograph by John Varty

Zaria stalks through swampy reeds at Tiger Canyons, eyes fixed on prey.

Unlike many big cats, tigers are excellent swimmers, and are known to chase prey into water. Having evolved in temperate climates, tigers are less tolerant of heat and often bathe in water to cool off. A tiger may comfortably swim across a river up to four miles wide, and according to the Encyclopedia of Life, they are known to have crossed a width of 18 miles in the water.
Play Fighting

Photograph by John Varty

After giving birth to the litter that she abandoned, Julie mates with Seatao again, and after a three-month gestation period, delivers a litter of five: Mahindra, Indira, Ushurri, Tiger Bomb, and Runti. This time around, to John Varty's great relief, Julie remains with her new cubs and raises them herself.

Pictured here are litter-mates Mahindra and Indira play-fighting. Just like domestic kittens, tiger cubs love to play-fight.
Lazy Eye

Photograph by John Varty

Indira, pictured here, has a lazy left eye. She and three of her litter-mates are now 13 months old and still living in their mother's den. Unfortunately, Runti, the runt of the litter, did not survive.
Tussling Tigers

Photograph by John Varty

Litter-mates Tiger Bomb (white) and Mahindra (orange) play-fight in the grass at 10 months old.
Ushiri

Photograph by John Varty

Ushurri conserves energy on a tree trunk. Ushurri is one of the second litter of tigers born to Julie and Seatao at Tiger Canyons.
Love is a Battlefield

Photograph by John Varty

Pictured here are two adult tigers, Shadow and Ron, fighting before mating. Shadow (the female) was bred in South Africa at Hoopstad, and grew up as a litter-mate of Seatao. She was born on February 6, 2004, and came to Tiger Canyons in April 2004. Ron, brother of Julie, came from Bowmansville Zoo in Canada in 1999.

Together, Shadow and Ron produce a litter of four cubs: Corbett, Sariska, Panna, and one cub who dies in infancy, accidentally crushed by Shadow herself. It is a sad but common occurrence with first-time tiger mothers.

Ron is the dominant male at Tiger Canyons until 2010, when he is killed in a territorial fight.
Sariska

Photograph by John Varty

Pictured here is tigress Sariska, one of Ron and Shadow's litter, at 15 months old.

Note the markings on her forehead, which resemble the Chinese character 王, meaning "king." Consequently, many cartoon depictions of tigers in China and Korea are drawn with 王 on their forehead.
Panna at Sunset

Photograph by John Varty

Panna, sibling of Corbett and Sariska, sits in the red glow of the sunset at Tiger Canyons.

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