Plant a tree to honour conservationist’s recovery

MBOMBELA – John Varty (68), a South African conservationist and filmmaker, had a heart attack last Friday.

He relayed a message to fellow friends and conservationists to rejoice in his recuperation by planting an indigenous tree near where you live.

He also urged his acquaintances in the nursery business to donate one tree for every tree sold, for everyone which participates, to reduce their carbon footprint on this planet. “Every tree should be an efficient carbon dumper, like the spekboom,” Van Houten said.

Varty the big cat lover and owner of Tiger Canyons Safaris, near the town of Philippolis in the Karoo, stated that the heart attack occurred after he had a swim, next to the swimming pool. “It was 20:00 in the bush and I was writing a song for Greta Thunberg, which I intended to record the following day in Nelspruit,” Varty explained.

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He underwent heart bypass surgery at Nelspruit Mediclinic on the morning of October 4. Varty boasted that, “I have been in 14 hospitals in my life. My two favourites are Bloemfontein and Nelspruit Mediclinic.”  An avid singer and songwriter, Varty uses music to protest environmental issues and bring awareness to a global audience.

In 2012 Varty made headlines after he was attacked by Corbett the tiger. He had to subsequently euthanize the serial-killer tiger in 2017, which had mauled him previously.

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Varty was in hospital for almost two weeks on that occasion and saw the attack by Corbett, which he deeply admired, as an experience which enriched his life. He had a deep sense of loss after regrettably putting the tiger down.