Runti's Journey - Tiger Cub at Tiger Canyons

Runti, Julie's little tiger cub, struggled to survive at Tiger Canyons. John Varty tells her story. www.jvbigcats.co.za

[@TimberWolf1000]

i just hope this cub is in a better place. Rest in peace Runti, you were a cute tiger cub.

[@karenmoore6061]

This was heart breaking to watch, I wish there was something you could've done to help her make it! You could tell she was trying to survive, her little body probably couldn't sustain the storm.😢

[@leonorakristinerozalinamll9473]

I love the way the tigers trust you so much😍. Poor little Runti😭.

[@TheSavethetigers1]

I am so sorry to hear of Runti's loss!

[@terrisassa6259]

JV you have a beautiful heart, and understanding of animals, and the cycle of life. Thank you for sharing this with us. Julie is a wonderful leopardess & mama and should always be remembered as such! As should your work as not only a photographer/videographer, but as a beautiful man, who understands the focus of his work. You are amazing! Thank you!💞💗💖😘

[@pavelp9887]

Julie is a tiger you twit

[@victoriakalberg9590]

I cried at the end.... Too too sad....

[@oceandrivejr]

Sweet dreams baby girl! i know your happy & safe in heaven now

[@carryledwards]

Sweet Dreams little Runti. I will always remember you little angel. I'll see you in the stars watching over your mommy and your brothers and sister. Be happy litter baby girl, Runti

[@WeedInMyAss]

Still remember him?

[@suztheultimateq2011]

aww... baby runti... rest well in heaven little one...

[@catherinefrasquillo8881]

Thank you so much for trying to help Runti. It is very sad that her siblings didn't allow her to eat.

[@hopefaith179]

Rest in peace Lil'Runti

[@riddel-geraddel6839]

Jep...that's realy Sad does she not Win her Fight again Wildlifes-Law Thanx to you for give her a litle Help and stand by her Side!!

[@raycorey]

At least you tried to help. Shame on all the people who gave you abuse, when most of them have zero clues.

[@altrnatvthinker]

thank you john for helping that kid

[@MegaLisa1974]

im sobbing like a baby for little runty poor we thing god bless u xxx

[@mpb8867]

So sorry for the loss of little Runti!

[@marlincec]

Heartbreaking story 😪❤this sweetie cub is in a better world

[@petrospanayiotou4333]

i am sure is good to leave nature to desite about the wild life,but i believe you should help poor runti since tigers are a specie in extinct.

[@JOlender]

Nice God Bless Your Soul for the hre best day of her life.

[@kfreshizzles]

I so cried when I saw this for the first time...

[@NathyLie]

Big tears on my face. RIP little angel. :'(

[@andreachynemachica1226]

poor runti why did you just watch and didnt pick her up...it was so hard to watch runti struggling.

[@kirstenstreetman167]

You should of help runti you made me cry

[@kathannon6591]

I just can’t believe you let it happen

[@ThePenguinChannel1279]

He tried to give the cub milk and help it, but it was too late

[@avinash_8723]

To all the people saying they should have helped runti should know that runti was physically disabled from her birth, there was something wrong with her and they couldn't do anything for her

[@mildagedvilaite5265]

I am incredibly sad the little Runti was not able to survive :( I was really happy that John gave her a hare to eat, but the cub was too unhealthy... This completely breaks my hearth, but this is nature's way... The weak ones do not survive :( Also the concept of burial is absolutely phenomenal. Do wild cats only bury their little cubs, or do they do the same to their siblings and other family members?

[@whatgivesdude6807]

That poor thing! If people had interfered earlier, it probably wouldn't have happened.

[@sunnykim4093]

Wow too sad in the eye of human being!

[@marcasswellbmd6922]

John Varty is the best, First he has a heart bigger than Ten Men!! And the Courage of a thousand, and the stupidity of a million to put himself in that kind of harms way all the time, They are Top predator's, They love to coddle, lick N love one second and Tear something to bits the next split second.... But I respect the hell out of John!!

[@dianzakariya8410]

I have not much knowledge about it but I am actually wondering why you don't help sooner.?? but you are animals care so I think you was doing right thing.. thank you for trying.. that mother tiger is seems like trust you so much.

[@TheRobyshark]

R.I.P. brave little Runti.

[@jadastewart9851]

He should've helped her

[@Kodboattours]

He is a piece of shit exploiting these animals for money. He doesn't care about them.

[@phuonganhpham_231]

I cried of watching this. Rest in peace, angel Runti!

[@SimbasGuardWT]

That is so sad.

[@estrella_star]

Sorry I wrote that comment before watching. I thought you just let her die. I don't hate you, your awesome and I love your videos. Also, thank you for trying to help Runti :)

[@ladyo8297]

But he did let her die. He knew a storm was coming and she didn't have enough fat and he left her out there in it.

[@JS-gp6xs]

This is a pretty old upload, not sure if you reading this. But at least now it is known that the moment you get a doubt on their survival, you should immediately act only if that you wish to do. Instead of letting nature take their course, they can be helped and later reintroduced to wild.

[@user-xm6cl4jz5o]

If you know there was a storm and she was cold, then freaking help the baby... omg now the mum is grieving and may be depressed... and now if the mum has another litter with a runt, she will give up after losing runti

[@DoomaceIsHere]

Great tigers but sad :[

[@TheMerciless187]

Well even in the in with the assistance you provided ..... Runti didn't survive the rain. She just didn't have enough meat on her little bones to survive. Thus is the the law of the jungle. Only the strong survive. :/ You're doing a great job or raising these tigers, while at the same time not violating the "PRIME DIRECTIVE" to harshly. Very commendable. :)

[@MsG1ggs]

+:Merciless~187. There presence with the camera nullifies the PRIME DIRECTIVE - whichis First do no harm!!! Therefore since it is compromised from the get-go, saving RUNTI would not have been in violation. Knowledge should preclude superstition. The show wanted pathos and they got it at a very steep price to nothing other than a tiny baby tiger - but a death photo was wanted because Shadow would not allow the intrusion - so Julie & Runti would suffice. I recieved the PR responce - cold as ice.

[@MsG1ggs]

+Gayle MacDougall BTW: once the bottle was fed to Runti your concept of Prime Directive was compromised.

[@TheMerciless187]

Key words .... TO HARSHLY. :D

[@eminem1998cm]

I have seen this a lot when I was in Africa and we saved about 4 Cubs people like this are horrid we got put on this earth to help nature

[@maureenn9201]

I would have saved the wee thing instead of standing by and watching her die, because he wanted nature to take it course, If nature was working it wouldn't have let the tiger have 5 cubs when she could only feed 4. Shame on you.

[@tiffanydavis85]

I wished she was hand raised. This may be nothing like tigers but my cat had 6 kittens and one was skinny just like Runti. He wobbled when he walked, at one point he couldn't keep his head up. I swore he was never denied as well, I saw him eating. But I took him out of the litter and hand raised him. Each day he got stronger and two weeks he got huge! But I also had a cat who got skinny and died of a blood parasite so you never know. I guess it's just nature taking it's course.

[@perluidziperluidzi7049]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@BeautifulAram]

i dont know why, i almost cried when she died. :'(

[@kingofthemonsters1763]

❤❤❤👊😉

[@MrTamilan-dd2mo]

They are killing....

[@user-xm6cl4jz5o]

Poor girl actually approached him for help get he denied it.

[@user-wl5lb6eu7y]

😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@SHINESunshinee872]

Its obvious she needed a heating pad or something to keep her warm especially with the rain ..... it’s difficult to not get involved and i really appreciate how unlike zoo’s whom of which jump at the chance to rip cubs away from their mother because they lie to themselves and others about how “the mother rejected the cubs.” And all the more lies they will tell you.... why even have more cubs in zoos when their are millions of tigers already* in circuses and etc that need a home.... its because the money and they are cute. Really stupid reasons. But anyways, I appreciate how John doesn’t get individuals involved to the extent of removing the cubs.... but i wish maybe more help could have been given to little runti... in some way. Knowing she was the runt before it was to the point of her being even weaker. But it’s natural and I respect what he is doing to the fullest extent, much more than zoos... there is always room for improvement and i do wish more could have been done earlier that wasn’t invasive.... sad rest in peace little one some people will say it was inevitable but i would like to think people are put their for a reason and when we can we can help but also respect the boundaries which that is demonstrated in the video

[@yousifyoukhana9947]

👍👍👍😘😘😘

[@colinkanobe]

Nature

[@kiwiboii6204]

Poor cub🤙

[@nikolaribic7956]

It is interesting to see the mother consume her dead cub as part of a "mortuary practice". There are human cultures where ritual consumption of dead relatives is practiced, most notably amongst some of the highland tribes of New Guinea.

[@ollihp]

Though it's tough to observe this, it's understandable when allowing nature to take its course. This is exactly what would have been the outcome in a true wild setting. People/animals are born with defects & malady's every day if not hour.

[@ladyo8297]

True but sometimes if help is available we take it.

[@avinash_8723]

@@ladyo8297 then the tigress might not be able to survive when alone

[@mrjflyer5498]

Ya runtey rip

[@lifeselsewhere]

Why is her auntie a lion?

[@hwzhong478]

beat and play it

[@BeulaBellafonte]

Wait, so no one else noticed how selfish and greedy Julie was, pulling the meat from Runti? Like, Runti literally was damn near trying to get inside Julie's mouth to retrieve the meat

[@laurabonnell582]

You should of help because their not many left in the wild. Poor thing of course she died she was getting the food she needed to survive.

[@richiecasuccio2497]

Too little too late!

[@11kwright]

This was the worst news ever. Even though Runti was the runt of the litter and the weakest she was obviously not mentally weak and that's the heart rendering thing in that she tried all angles to survive. I feel if intervention had been made earlier she would have survived. In this case I would have opted to help Runti from when she clearly came for help. Reason, it wasn't like she was one of those cubs that was clearly the weakest of the bunch and also didn't try to survive; some cubs the weakest of the littler can just sit there and not even try to help themselves and that to me is clearly when nature should take its course. However, Runti could have flourished and also be used as a mentor cat - what a missed opportunity. I feel she would have brought something special to the table unusual than say your average tiger. I feel she would have also remembered and show her gratitude in that she was helped and showed thanks in her tiger way. A grave loss and we will never know how great a cat mentor to the world she may well could have been. I just hope if there is ever another cub in this position showing something quite special with a strong will to survive and clearly illustrating this that someone would reach out to her quickly before it is too late. Runti was special but mis-understood in that she was one of nature's weakness and therefore nature should take it's course when she was rather very special and showed immense special qualities at such a tender age. However, in all that said I guess no one is to blame but Runti's qualities should have been seen and not to just always assume this is one of those nature take its course thing but to see the special qualities exuding from a cub. Hopefully,. if there is ever another Runti it will be saved.

[@Gabor.P.]

11kwright My thoughts are similar to your and only 1 thing I would add ! Veterinarian may could have save that little fellow ! Showed all the signs that a sting will to live ! May be parasite or some curable virus or bacteria etc ! But not a lioness care or the bottle feeding ! Or may be just had like in humans the crib death or a sudden death syndrome ! How ever 4 out of 5 not a bad litter for a tiger ! LOL

[@11kwright]

Gabor P I just hope that John Varti or someone that are lucky enough to watch nature close up will perhaps take action before too late if a similar situation arises that clearly one can see is special. Cos actions was taken but there was too much indecisiveness before hand. A surge of annoyance a little do come over me when I see this video again. Even though I said no one is to blame well those that were there are to blame a little in that may be she could have been saved. They are not to blame that she was weak and died but for the fact that had action have been decided sooner would she have survived and I reckon yes and it is this part I do blame. I feel it's not always best to leave things up to nature especially when clearly there is a role for such strength of character in a little tiger at such a tender baby age - mentor role to stop poaching. This would have been symbolic in that she was saved and now saving other tigers. I just feel it in my heart this was a special gorgeous baby but as humans it was a stupid thing not to recognise this and rely on the nature tactic when really one wasn't sure whether to save or not to save. I guess there's no point in getting angry for the little thing as that won't bring it back now! I'm really sort of moarning for the poor thing rather than anger - just haven't got over it really yet.

[@Gabor.P.]

Okay ! There's nothing wrong being emotional even for a man ! It doesn't make you a less of a person ! I think it even makes you more nicer as a person but let that be decided by the woman ! LOL Anyways .... what you wrote I agree and yes even sitting here in my home front of the laptop and thinking what I saw right ! As you do it could affect my emotions and we can chew on it for days on end !Hundreds of idea and ways to decide what would have been the best ! My thoughts are similar to yours but then again ! This would not end ! Instead of getting in it too deep ! I just take it what happened and nothing I can do now to change it ! But for the future I would have different idea and so is everybody else ! It's a kind of never ending story ! Humans animals interfere or not help or no help let nature or not ! So you see endless possibility ! I think I end this conversation on my side cause for this I would like to talk to experts or veterinarian and other people who is in animal care ! and in life not just writing about cause the sound is missing ! Q & A ! Interesting subject but endless ! Don't get me wrong t's not boring at all to me it's just better to talk about this in life like a forum or a group session ! Cause this is complicated and life is it stake ! To end this on my part I'm sorry for that little guy if I would have been there I would take him to the Vet. But like I said I wasn't there and this wasn't my call ! In some ways I thank them to share this very complicated issue and topic and was interesting to watch as a will to live and some other force that didn't let him live ! I think this is what and why people get so emotional ! If he would have been sick or some other issue then yes people would take it as part of life but since it was questionable what and why that is why we talking about it cause as humans we want and need answers to everything ! Nice talking to you TY ! Peace out and have a good weekend !

[@11kwright]

Gabor P Oh, I like that comment " ..... let that be decided by the woman" about getting emotional. Well, I am a woman!! I guess you are right we do get emotional. Loved your comment was soooo funny!

[@Gabor.P.]

11kwright Okay sorry I didn't know but hey I meant it in good fate and good will ! I guess by now you know I'm a guy but mostly there is 2 woman who is okay when a guy gets emotional and there is the other who would say what a puss ! And in general guys don't cry front of others but yes we are just as emotional then woman just not showing it like woman does ! But thanks and I'm glad if you found it funny ! LOL

[@howladerrahman9495]

So unfortunate that storm came along otherwise that help you provided would have kept the cub alive.

[@bugloverspiderlover8490]

She look just like our cat did before she passed,she had some kind of cancer,maybe Runti had cancer too.

[@iNNoCeNttDReAMs]

Where is their father?

[@falanajerido875]

You should of hand help it along even though you try to help i am hurting for the tiger you should of took her in

[@nancypaige547]

I was watching this re

[@nancypaige547]

watching about john and judy etc.he got out if truck covered with blanket etc and took to mom. but why when Big Cat Diary yrs ago driver said not allowed .if had gotten toto toto wld have been ok..always wondered why he did not help toto cuz driv.er knew mom was faraway.crazy

[@Patso65]

I hate to say the obvious, BUT, "if" you had taken her early enough, she may have survived.

[@annajames229]

Why didn't you save Runti????

[@TS-hf3cn]

I haven't even gotten to the end yet but I fear what its going to be because the guy telling the story is a complete idiot. One minute you say that you won't step in and help this little cub because lack of food isn't the problem but then when you gave her the hare you say it shows just how desperate she is for food. This is a female cub and sadly there are more tigers now in captivity than in the wild so I really hope you did something to help her

[@mischabe3]

I know I am ignorant about how to handle wildlife, but I can’t help thinking... couldn’t the man take Runty to somewhere dry? Like inside a house? Would you be interfering with the nature if you did that? After all he did feed the cub with a bottle milk.

[@pecleveland]

Ppl from all over the world begged me to raise her lol

[@annajames229]

You should have saved Runti!!!!!

[@victoriacironecaswell2609]

Oh Dear..........truly sad, I would have thought this case should have been taken in. Poor momma. They do not know right from wrong it is instinct......like when they eat their placenta, it is natural! Its ok. Just sad no one saved the baby Runti.

[@CajunA79]

She probably had stomach problems that night as well from eating the meat.

[@sunlee1434]

How come the tiger doesn't attack human?

[@urielgomez8881]

Idk why people are bitching it's the same like humans in school if there is a weak player in the team nobody chooses him or her and when he or she does get chosen you don't let him or her play until the teacher tells you to and no matter how much the parent tries to bring up the child the child has already have negative impact with her mind so later on in life it will be the same till he or she is considered a failure and nobody helps him or her still, I do admit he could have helped it however it's best to keep nature alone cause imagine if in the future runti would never be released in the wild cause it wouldn't know how to live without the dependence of a human, and if it did it wouldn't last long cause it wouldn't have a pack and predators have no sympathy cause everything has to eat

[@aresgrl]

OMG I am devastated that this poor little baby girl died! She trusted you so much that AGAINST nature and her natural instincts, she begged you to help her. If a wild animal can go against nature, YOU, at that realization, should have too! I am sorry if I sound like I am blaming you and you might be a caring man, like you say. But, you made the wrong decision! That poor darling had such a will to live! Why couldn't YOU have seen that and helped her immediately, instead of waiting until she didn't stand a chance!?!?!? Runti, sweet darling, run strong and free in Heaven!!!!!

[@juliehertz8768]

Lorena Polazzi Totally agree with you.This sweet baby begged for help.There are so few Tiger's left in the wild,every life is PRECIOUS.😢

[@adom6750]

@@coewhat you're the fool. He could have saved her but at the beginning when he first realized she was a runt struggling to survive.

[@cagrant4472]

The Tigress knows this cub came out of her: by eating all or even part of it, she is putting it back in to the place of safety; I have seen domestic cats display this same behavior, and this, for what it may be of use, is my interpretation. I have after more than 60 years of observation, come to the conclusion that, simply put, CAT IS CAT --- That is, they are really all pretty much the same. Felis Silvestris or whichever just noticed all the rodents hanging around human dwellings, and made themselves agreeable to us, thereby promoting a comfortable livelihood. The only real difference is their relative sizes.

[@niveahserrano2740]

Oh wow 🥺🥺 why didn't you help her man.. you could've taken her to a facility or something.

[@mohammedrahman6046]

You raised Juli, you could hand raise Runti as well.

[@lalitgurung9335]

These people who what's so ever doesn't dare saving lonely baby calves even though knowing some predators are on the prowl.Turning the blind eyes on them & left to die/eaten claiming not to interfere on the course of nature.But the same rules of nature doesn't apply when it comes to tiger/lion cubs.Upon these cubs starvation will be provided with foods making sure they live.Why so different treatment?Then I realize that the big cats are the business to them.Making huge profits from the visitors from all over the world wishing to see big cats in national parks or in Zoo.

[@lyndafromparisathena6321]

Come on ... I don't understand why he couldn't just provide Runti some extra food "backstage" while still letting her live with her mom (At least until the cub get strong enough) . John can approach Julie without a problem, so he didn't need to totally take the cub away to hand raise her. Who knows ? Maybe Runti could have grown up and become a strong tiger later. I guess it 's already a hard work to make the tigers reproduce so what s the point to let the cubs die starving.

[@TK_Mo]

I'm not second guessing your decision. Your the professional and I most certainly am not. That said, I do have a question. I've seen with other animals where a sick baby had been taken away from nature, nursed back to health then reintroduced back into the family and mama whom recognized the former family member and quickly welcome them home. Is this not practical for big cat cubs? Tigers specifically? I'm just thinking out loud but, if you were able to introduce a lion cub to a tiger mama, that the Tiger mama would accept her own cub back after a month or two? Again,not second guessing but, if someone knows the answer to my question, I'd like to know the specifics of the conundrum that weighed on this man's mind.

[@niveahserrano2740]

Smh 😥😥 poor little runti it's all your fault. You should've taken the cub & found some help. I have no respect for u

[@khaitran3709]

Damn, that is so gross , eating our own!!

[@Wifeno2]

OMG!!! I've just watched the earlier film when Runti was failing and was asking if JV rescued her but now after watching this I see he didn't even though he knew she would die he waited practically right until the end of her little life then decides to give her some milk from a bottle Y didn't he do that from the beginning the bloody idiot Julie would have let him I'm sure as she did at the end. I know that's the way of the wild but he knows about Tigers I personally think he handled this wrong

[@MultiAlejandralopez]

virigod broder maglk como es tas beneful popo

[@Irsuperwoman]

Why you chose not to help.... Really..... too late Poor ranti had a long slow and painful death

[@jaylosquad5593]

Awee I would’ve helped her🥺

[@christinalundahl2938]

I think he should have taken her away so she could be nourished in a good place where she could survive

[@TimberWolf1000]

Wish he hand raise this poor little tiger?

[@marieclark6283]

You could of saved it took it in out of the rain

[@dominiqueparisi4618]

God you could of helped

[@catherineGainey29]

Why didn't you try to help her at least make her healthier and then let her go back into the while that was just cruel watching that

[@floydjammer6395]

She could have grew up to be the most powerful of the litter had you helped her when she was little.

[@feafel]

You should have helped. Had this been occurring in the wild, it was understandable. But there you are. Filming them, interfering during the mother-cubs interactions, trying to show-off the "trust" you have gained from a wild animal, "introducing" a new species into her litter. That noble creature, Julie, adapted to your interference. But when time came for you to adapt and save her little weakling, you suddenly remembered "law of the jungle"? Why, you filmed even that last part. I am not sure if the video has made me very sad or very angry. Stumbled onto this video accidentally. But surely won't be watching any more. Hopefully you will save some in future.

[@kirstenstreetman167]

;(

[@fayremaiden2425]

What was in that formula? #horrible

[@chantallamb8652]

The poor mother

[@alimimza051208]

I don't believe

[@t4ddg965]

There is nothing 'wild' about these animals. for him to be filming right there, bottle feeding the cub with the mom right there... I think its inhumane for humans to stand by when they have taken them out of their natural habitat. If her issues were that she didn't get enough food in the beginning to grow, to help fight off any pneumonia that 'might have' caused her death. That could have been prevented. This is as bad as if a zoo had sat by and let one of their endangered animals die because 'that's nature'