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Newsletter 149
04/09/17

In Pursuit of Alan Root

In 1979, after seeing a film called "Lights Action Africa" by Alan Root, I travelled to Kenya. I had two objectives, to meet the legendary lion man, George Adamson and secondly, to meet film maker Alan Root

Because South Africa was governed by the racially discriminating apartheid government, South Africans with South African passports were not allowed into Kenya.

The visa I had organized to be at the airport when I arrived, had not been delivered, with the result that I spent 2 days in a security cell at the airport.

After my release from prison, I immediately enquired where I could find Alan Root. I was told that he lived at Naivasha, but when I arrived at his home, he and his wife Joan were away filming in the Serengeti.


Photo credit: WildFilmHistory

After spending time with the legendary Kenyan wardens, Phil Snyder, Peter Jenkins, Patrick Hamilton and Bill Woodley (I flew in a super cub over a herd of 1 500 elephants in Tsavo East), I continued my safari to a remote part of Kenya called Kora. Here I met the legendary George Adamson, the lion man.

"We walked together in the morning light
Bwana Game and me
Hip flask, sandals, walking stick
Long grey air and eyes that see
No shirt did he wear
No words did he speak
And then in the shade
of the Tana River
He said listen to me please
Listen to me please"

After spending time with his lions, George & I went back to camp for breakfast. As George ate his breakfast, he would feed peanuts to various birds, including yellow & red billed hornbills. I remember vividly a hornbill perching on George’s head and defecating in his post toasties. As George flicked the dung out, he remarked to me that this was the same hornbill that Alan Root had used when he filmed the famous sequence of the male hornbill feeding the female through the slit in the tree & then the female breaking out & feeding the chicks. 

George showed me the tree where Alan had set up the hide & inserted the glass panel into the tree to film the hornbill sequence. 

When I became a filmmaker, I had no footage of my own, so I travelled to London to buy footage from Survival Anglia. Alan Root was Survival Anglia's lead cameraman and so I got to view hundreds of thousands of feet of film shot by Alan Root.

I requested that they show me the out takes of the film "Two in the Bush" (This film was later called Lights, Action, Africa)

After watching Alan nearly lose his life in a hippo attack while filming hippo underwater at Mzima Springs, I went under water with well fed crocs in the film Troubled Waters.

Alan Root was the front runner in accepted wild life filming techniques that are used today. Together with his first wife Joan, Alan habituated a variety of animals including genets, aardvark & a hippo which he used in his films. 

Alan was the first to use balloons for aerial filming & also the first to send remote controlled cameras into positions to shoot low angle sequences. 

In Tigress Julie’s third litter of cubs, the lioness Savannah was guarding the cubs who were hiding in a cave. Savannah was feisty to say the least!  

I had a look alike dummy made which I placed on the rock near Savannah. After two days Savannah was completely habituated to the dummy. I then removed the dummy & sat on the rock near Savannah. After a short time, Savannah fell asleep & I could go down & film the cubs in the cave.

The dummy technique used to habituate Savannah was taken directly from Alan Root.

It became obvious to me that what Alan Root did so well, is he would take work done by scientists and popularize it.

His ability to see the migrations through the eyes of a single wildebeest or the launching of millions of termites from the perspective of a single termite and communicate it to the viewing public, was unique.

Alan Root never lectured his audience on the destruction humans are wreaking on our fragile planet. He merely showed the beauty and the efficiency of nature and asked people to decide for themselves whether it was worth saving.

If I admired Alan Root's films, it was his life style I admired even more. Alan Root went everywhere by light aircraft. In the Serengeti today, Luangwa tomorrow and in the Congo the next day. Africa was Alan Root's stage and the animals were his actors.

In 1995 I decided to learn to fly helicopter and while training with Buzz Bezuidenhout, the South African champion, Buzz said casually to me, "There is another film maker  training with me". "What's his name" I enquired. "Alan Root" said Buzz. This stopped me in my tracks. "Where is Alan" I asked. "He will be here next week" said Buzz.

The following week I flew back from Londolozi to Rand airport specially to meet Alan Root and he had returned to Kenya a few hours before I arrived. I was gutted.

After I finished training with Buzz, I crashed in a helicopter in Luangwa Valley. I survived the crash, but my good friend and pilot, Rob Parsons died after undergoing two operations.

Alan Root after completing his training, crashed in not one, but two helicopters and walked away from both. Once again Alan Root was ahead of me.

At that time, all the great wildlife camera teams were husband and wife partnerships. Des and Jen Bartlett, David and Carol Hughes, Dereck and Beverley Joubert. Nobody would dispute that Joan Root, Alan's first wife was a huge part of Alan's success.

In 2010 I was informed that the film "Leopard Queen" had been nominated for an award at the Jackson Hole Film Convention. I was told that Alan Root would be receiving a life time award.

If I got on the plane, I could finally meet Alan Root. Then a tigress gave birth to cubs and I cancelled the trip. Another chance to meet the legendary Root was gone.

When I formed the JV Clothing line, I made t-shirts which had on the back:

"Freedom is everything
Answerable to no-one"

I fully intended to give this t-shirt to Alan Root when I finally met him.

Alan Root was a man's man, a man for all seasons. Creative, fearless and resourceful. He answered only to himself and freedom was his lifestyle. I have tried to follow Alan Root's example, however it is a hard act to follow.

I had a false perception that Alan Root was immortal, he would never pass on and one day I would meet him. I was wrong. It remains one of the great regrets of my life.

I suppose the moral of the story is if you want something, do it now. Time waits for no man. At the age of 80, Alan Root is gone.

I have written two songs for two great Kenyans.
For George Adamson I wrote the song "Bwana Game"

"I met a man
Deep in the bush in Africa
His name was Bwana Game
He looked at me with eyes of age
And he said come right in
I'll show you life
I'll show you more
Listen carefully now
You will hear the lions roar
You will hear the lions roar"

For Alan Root I will write the song entitled "The Elusive Kindred Spirit"

Alan Root's contribution to awareness and the understanding of the Natural World is immense.

Kenya has lost one of its favourite sons and the world has lost a wildlife warrior of note.

Rest in Peace Alan Root
JV


Co-dominance

Thank you for all who contacted me about the multi coloured tiger cub. The best explanation I have is from Doug Fitz-Gerald:

It looks like co-dominance / incomplete dominance with multiple alleles. JV's tigers might be carrying a natural mutation as well.

Tread lightly on the earth.
JV 

 

Tread lightly on the Earth

[email protected]
Copyright 2007 @jvbigcats  All rights reserved


Newsletters


Newsletters 162
23/07/18
Raising 200

Newsletters 161
22/05/18
Reach for 200

Newsletters 160
06/05/18
The Power of the Photograph

Newsletter 159
14/04/18
Predator Aggression

Newsletters 158
19/02/18
Open letter to Cyril Ramaphosa

Newsletter 157
14/02/18
SCI bans canned lion hunting

Newsletters 156
26/01/18
Tibo produces white cubs

Newsletters 155
13/11/17
The Indian Connection

Newsletters 154
28/10/17
Desertification

Newsletter 153
20/10/17
Supermarket Shopper vs. Hunter Gatherer

Newsletter 152
14/10/17
JV's response to Elayna Kinley letter

Newsletters 151
29/09/17
Running on empty

Newsletter 150
14/09/17
The Survivor

Newsletters 149
05/09/17
In pursuit of Alan Root

Newsletters 148
09/08/17
Open letter re schools plus Panna cubs

Newsletters 147
17/07/17
It's Finished

Newsletters 146
31/05/17
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King Corbett

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Newsletters 141
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Newsletter 140
10/12/16
Londolozi and Love

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23/11/16
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Newsletter 138
17/11/16
The Trump Card

Newsletter 137
22/10/16
Most Admired People on the Planet

Newsletters 136
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Newsletter 135
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Newsletter 134
08/08/16
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Newsletter 133
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Newsletter 132
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Newsletter 131
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Newsletter 130
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Sylvester the Lion

Newsletter 129
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An Open Letter to Head United Nations

Newsletter 128
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An Open Letter to Carte Blanche

Newsletter 127
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Satellite Tracking

Newsletter 126
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Lightning strikes 3 times

Newsletter 125
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The Break Out

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Bad Tigers

Newsletter 123
01/10/15
Tiger Boy's Journey

Newsletter 122
13/09/15
Give it a Name

Newsletter 121
10/09/15
Driven Hunts

Newsletter 120
01/09/15
Creative Conservation

Newsletter 119
12/08/15
Sariska from birth till death

Newsletter 118
11/08/15
Real Hunters

Newsletter 117
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An Open Letter to the President: Operation Wild Lion

Newsletter 116
03/08/15
An Open Letter to Theo Bronkhorst

Newsletter 115
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Cruel Nations

Newsletter 114
08/07/15
Subspecies or no subspecies

Newsletter 113
11/06/15
Tigers Moving Forward

Newsletter 112
13/04/15
Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Newsletter 111
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Don't Shoot the Messenger

Newsletter 110
22/03/15
The Hunters

Newsletter 109
09/03/15
Gaia or God?

Newsletter 108
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The Healing Power of Cats

Newsletter 107
18/02/15
Goddess Gaia

Newsletter 106
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Ambassador Cats

Newsletter 105
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Blondes have more fun

Invitation
09/01/15
Gaining ground for tigers

Newsletter 103
14/12/14
Tibo's Dilemma

Newsletter 102
05/12/14
Wilderness Man

Newsletter 101
25/11/14
Sariska fathers cubs with white Tigress Tibo

Newsletter 100
20/11/14
Cheetah Survival

Newsletter 99
30/09/14
Extract from JV's speech on Corbett's Freedom Day

Newsletter 98
15/08/14
The Power of the Picture

Newsletter 97
18/07/14
Tiger Corbett's Release

Newsletter 96
11/07/14
Corbett's Journey

Newsletter 95
18/06/14
Bush School: Where are they now?

Newsletter 94
12/05/14
Open letter to Jani Allen: Oscar Pistorius

Newsletter 93
07/05/14
John Varty interview with Sizie Modise

Newsletter 92
20/04/14
Marion's Big Cat Safari

Newsletter 91
24/02/14
Full energy flow

Newsletter 90
10/02/14
Investing in wild tigers

Newsletter 89
05/02/14
Where are the Champions?

Newsletter 88
27/01/14
Managing the Genes

Newsletter 87
16/01/14
Capture the Moment

Newsletter 86
07/12/13
The Princess Diana of Tigers - Julie:
 Sept 1999 - 5 Des 2013

Newsletter 85
26/11/13
The Communicators

Newsletter 84
26/11/13
A Letter to All Conservationists in SA 
Sparked by the whole Melissa Bachman Debacle
by Maxine Gaines

Newsletter 83
16/11/13
Tell me what happened

Newsletter 82
04/11/13
Profit is the Name of Your Game

Newsletter 81
30/10/13

Big Cat Cub Safari


Newsletter 80
18/10/13
In the Jaws of the Tiger

Newsletter 79
11/10/13
Open letter to Vice President Cyril Ramaphosa about rhino crisis

Newsletter 78
06/10/13
Open letter to Min of Defense, South Africa about rhino crisis

Newsletter 77
30/09/13
Digital Photography

Newsletter 76
06/09/13
Zoochosis

Newsletter 75
20/07/13
Rhino Horn Trade - Response

Newsletter 74
09/07/13
Raw Power

Newsletter 73
02/07/13
The Evolution of the Tracker

Newsletter 72
02/07/13
An Open Letter to the Honourable Edna Molewa, Minister of Water Affairs and Environmental Affairs

Newsletter 71
06/06/13
Using flash or spotlight on cats at night

Newsletter 70
14/05/13
Mirror mirror on the wall, who has the best eyesight of them all?

Newsletter 69
12/04/13
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fastest of them all?

Newsletter 68
25/03/13
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the best fighter of them all?

Newsletters 67
07/03/13
Wild Cheetah return to the Free State after 100 years

Newsletter 66
28/02/13
Seeking the genes

Newsletters 65
06/02/13
Corbett's Journey

Newsletters 64
22/01/13
In Search of a Mate

Newsletters 63
11/01/13
Rumble in the Jungle

Newsletters 62
30/10/12
Voronin Big Cat Safari Breaks All Records

Newsletters 61
09/12/12
A Journey to Nowhere

Newsletter 60
03/10/12
The John Hume Approach

Newsletter 59
28/09/12
Response to Rhino Horn Auction

Newsletters 58
24/09/12
A Letter to John Hume, SA biggest Rhino Breeder

Newsletters 57
05/09/12
Newsletters 56
01/08/12
Indian Government -
the wrong decision

Newsletter 55
11/07/12
What price must beauty pay?

Newsletter 54
21/04/12
Corbett's Freedom

Newsletter 53
15/04/12
Lethal injection or Freedom

Newsletters 52
04/04/12
The anatomy of an aggressive tiger

Newsletters 51
14/02/12
Majestic, breathtaking pictures

Newsletters 50
04/11/11
Tigress Calendar

Newsletters 49
19/11/11

Let your pictures do the talking

Newsletters 48
26/09/11

Rhino Wars

Newsletters 47
06/09/11
A Letter to the President

Newsletters 46
08/08/11
The Body Parts Scam

Newsletters 45
11/07/11
Tiger Subspecies

Newsletters 43
01/05/11
Your future and the Tiger

Newsletter 42
08/05/11
Talk to Me

Newsletter 41
26/01/11
Gaian Reminder

Newsletter 40
18/11/10
Ron's Journey

Newsletter 39
20/10/10
"Descreprimate"

Newsletter 38
06/09/10
Beauty comes at a price

Newsletter 37
18/08/10

The Light Has Gone Out


Newsletter 36
08/07/10
The Beautiful Game

Newsletter 35
05/07/10
The Ethics of
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Newsletter 34
21/06/10
Tiger Hunt

Newsletter 33
26/05/10
The Year of the Tiger

Newsletter 32
11/02/10

Riding the Tiger


Newsletter 31
24/01/10

Runti's Journey


Newsletter 30
12/01/10

To intervene or not to intervene -
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Newsletter 29
07/12/09

Lion - Tiger - Human Communication


Newsletter 28
12/11/09

Emotional humans, emotional cats


Newsletter 27
03/11/09

Julie gives birth to 5 tiger cubs


Newsletter 26
24/09/09

International Tiger Day


Newsletter 25
17/08/09

To all Photographers


Newsletter 24
16/07/09

A Shot in Anger


Newsletter 22
24/04/09


Newsletter 21
24/03/09


Newsletter 19
14/01/09

Tiger Birth
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Newsletter 16
10/10/08

Tiger Courting


Newsletter 11
29/01/08

Privatizing the Tiger


Newsletter 9
27/10/07

Newsletter 8
28/09/07

Newsletter 7
14/09/07

Water Cats


Newsletter 6
14/08/07

Tiger Intelligence


Newsletter 5
16/05/07

Tiger language
Tiger Boma


Newsletter 3
09/03/07

Interspecies communication


Newsletter 2
06/02/07

Cub relocation


Londolozi
Newsletters

Death of a Legend
17/08/09


Newsletter 20
10/02/09

Newsletter 15
17/08/08

Painted Wolves


Newsletter 13
11/04/08

Response to Elephant Trust
by Daryl Balfour


Newsletter 12
09/04/08

Elephant Trust