I. Wilderness Survival with Minimal Protection
When venturing into the wilderness with minimal protection, awareness and preparedness are your greatest assets. Recognizing potential threats and knowing how to react can significantly improve your chances of survival. General strategies include maintaining situational awareness by constantly scanning your surroundings, avoiding encounters by making noise and traveling in groups, storing food properly to deter scavengers, and respecting animal territories.
Climate-Specific Strategies:
Cave:
Potential threats include bats (risk of rabies), snakes, and spiders. Recognize their presence by squeaking noises, guano, webs, or shed skins. To deal with these threats, avoid disturbing bat colonies, seal off sleeping areas with netting, and inspect clothing for spiders and snakes before dressing.
Boat:
Potential threats include sharks (coastal waters), crocodiles/alligators (freshwater), and venomous sea snakes. Recognize their presence by fins breaking the surface, disturbances in the water, or snake sightings. Deal with them by avoiding swimming in known habitats, keeping limbs inside the boat.
Forest (Temperate/Boreal):
Potential threats include bears, wolves, wild pigs/boars, mountain lions, and venomous snakes. Recognize their presence by tracks, scat, claw marks, vocalizations, or rustling. Deal with these threats by carrying bear spray, making noise, climbing a tree if charged by a boar, and slowly backing away from mountain lions.
Savanna:
Potential threats include lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, rhinoceroses, cape buffaloes, and venomous snakes. Recognize their presence by tracks, scat, vocalizations, or alarm calls from prey animals. Deal with them by avoiding walking at night, staying in groups, and making yourself appear large and noisy if charged.
Jungle (Tropical Rainforest):
Potential threats include jaguars, venomous snakes, spiders, insects, and crocodiles/caimans. Recognize their presence by tracks, scat, rustling, or snake sightings. Deal with them by wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent, and being cautious around water.
Desert:
Potential threats include venomous snakes, scorpions, spiders, coyotes, and feral dogs. Recognize their presence by tracks in sand or sightings near water. Deal with them by wearing sturdy boots, shaking clothing, and securing food/water.
Arctic:
Potential threats include polar bears, wolves, and arctic foxes. Recognize their presence by tracks in snow or sightings. Deal with them by avoiding frequented areas, traveling in groups, and carrying firearms (where legal).
II. Modern Living: Coexisting with Wildlife
Even in modern environments, wild animals can pose a threat. Understanding their behavior and taking preventative measures can minimize risks.
A. Urban Environments:
General strategies include securing food sources, eliminating shelter, and contacting professional assistance when needed.
Raccoons: Attracted to garbage and pet food. Secure garbage cans and remove pet food at night.
Rodents (Rats, Mice): Attracted to food scraps and shelter. Seal cracks and crevices. Use traps or professional pest control.
Skunks: Attracted to insects and grubs in lawns. Eliminate food sources and use fencing.
Coyotes: May prey on small pets. Keep pets indoors or on a leash, especially at night.
Feral Cats: Can kill birds and small mammals. Support trap-neuter-release programs.
Bats: Can roost in attics. Seal entry points after bats have left for the season.
B. Rural Environments:
General strategies include livestock protection, garden protection, and proper waste disposal.
Bears: Attracted to garbage, pet food, and livestock feed. Use electric fencing around apiaries and livestock enclosures. Store attractants in bear-resistant containers.
Mountain Lions: May prey on livestock and pets. Keep pets indoors at night. Install motion-activated lights.
Wolves: Can prey on livestock. Use livestock guardian dogs and fencing.
Wild Pigs/Boars: Can damage crops and property. Use fencing and trapping.
Deer: Can damage gardens and crops. Use fencing, repellents, and scare devices.
Venomous Snakes: Clear brush and debris around homes and outbuildings. Wear boots and gloves when working outdoors.