Jungle Survival

The jungle area is approximately 6% of the earth's solid surface and can be found mainly in the tropics. I'm sure you know that the largest jungle on our anet ; These are the Amazon rainforests, located in South America, which cover most of the Amazon Basin. However, some other places that can be called jungle these are the forests of Nicaragua, the southern Yucatan peninsula and equatorial Africa or Southeast Asia ..

Now, if you are the kind of person who loves adventure and wants to try your hand in the jungle, you should also know a number of tips on how to survive in the jungle . Everyone knows that in these places many dangers lurk in the shadows, such as wild animals or poisonous insects, which can lead to death in a matter of seconds ;

What You Should Know About The Jungle

Yes, Tarzan grew up in the jungle, but before placing his life in the hands of history, it's best to do your own research ..

To lend a hand, here are a few things you should consider in your grand jungle adventure ;

Have the necessary equipment

You can't start your adventure without grabbing a few important items that you might find useful:

• baggage. You should choose a backpack that suits you: big enough to put your stuff in, but you also need to make sure it's not too heavy after you put everything in it.
• clothing . Perfect look for a jungle expedition ; it is one that dries quickly and protects you from accidents or dangerous insects. Since jungle weather is mostly rainy, it is best to wear waterproof clothing or clothing that dries quickly. You should carry long-sleeved shirts that are easy to dry and have some useful pockets to store your little things. The pants you are going to wear should also be long, because with shorts, your legs will surely hurt in the jungle. An evening jacket will be needed, which can also be used as a pillow. Remember to wear a nice wide-brimmed hat to protect your head and face from the sun and gloves to protect your hands.
• shoes. The type of footwear you will wear during your expedition is very important so that you can move through the forest. Your boots should be sturdy and comfortable. It is not recommended to wear waterproof boots because they will not allow water to enter, but they will not dry out. Instead, you might consider the type of military boots, for example. To find the best jungle boots you need, see our article to read about it ..
• hygiene. Of course, you shouldn't forget to bring your personal items such as toothpaste and toothbrush, soap and shampoo, towels, deodorant and some other personal items that you think are important, but you do not need to exaggerate, because in otherwise loading your luggage would be a tough job.
• health . You should bring a good sunscreen and some tanning products. In the meantime, be sure to pack insect repellent, first aid kit, pain relievers, allergy pills, and any medication you may be using in your backpack. If you decide to take antimalarial pills, you should see your doctor before traveling ;
• Other staff . Of course, the jungle has something to wear. These will be: a sleeping bag, a knife, a machete, a watch, a torch, a compass, a map, plastic or metal plates for food, special containers for water, tools for starting a fire ;

Orientation: know how to find your way

The first step you should take on your expedition is ; make sure you don't get lost ..

You should be aware that there are two types of forests:

• In primary forests, forests that have not been affected by anthropogenic impact, there are very tall trees that form a dense dome and some bushes ..
• On the other hand, secondary forests, those that have suffered mainly as a result of human activity, trees are located at a greater distance than primary forests ;

Problems associated with movement in the first category of the forest, ; these are almost impenetrable treetops. On the other hand, in secondary forests you have to move very carefully, because everything looks the same here and you can go in circles when trying to move in a certain direction.

Let's take a look at the things to remember so you don't get lost in the jungle:

• Share your itinerary with family or friends .. Before going on an expedition, you must show your family and friends where you are going. They also need to know how long they intend to stay there. Thus, if this period passes, they will find out that something is wrong and will organize a rescue action ..
• Use tools to guide you. You cannot start this adventure without the essential objects used for orientation: compass, map and GPS system. They are extremely useful, but there will be situations in which they simply will not work or will not be sufficient. So make sure you have them, but keep other important tips in mind. Find out how to choose the best hiking GPS for your needs by reading our article on the topic ..
• Select an anchor point. It is important that you mark trees or passing ground so that you can recognize them in case you get lost. You must learn to use vegetation for your orientation. Let's look at the Indians: for them each tree is unique, for us it is like a kind of building.
• Find a stream or river . You should know that in the jungle, water is beneficial in many ways. In addition to staying alive, water will always help you find the right path. Where there is a river, there are people too, so just follow the river to find a good spot. If you don't know where the water is, you can climb the tallest tree to take care of your depressions ..
• Be careful with animal footprints. Wildlife also offers signs that you may follow to find a river and then a form of civilization. Animals have better instincts than humans, so they can find water much easier. You have to take care of a thicker animal trail that can lead you to a stream or river ..

How to find water

While you might think that there is a lot of water due to prolonged rains, finding the right source of drinking water can sometimes be a real challenge. Here are some possible ways to get jungle water:

Streams or rivers

The easiest way to drink water ; get it from a stream or river. If you find something like this, all you have to do is make sure the water is safe to drink. You can use some water purification tablets or start a fire to boil the water and purify it. Check out our LifeStraw Personal Water Filter review to give you more options for drinking and drinking water ..

Be aware that river water may contain viruses and bacteria that it doesn't normally come into contact with, and your immune system isn't ready to fight.

Animal Signs

As shown earlier, animals can also help you find water sources. But you have to discern which animals to watch out for. For example, you can count on grazing animals that usually stay near water sources ..

Other excellent indicators of water are birds or insects. Pigeons do not fly very far from water, and the same goes for bees. On the other hand, there are animals that you don't have to follow to find water. This is the case of predatory animals that can remain for a long period of time without drinking water or birds of prey that also receive water from their victims ..

rainwater

To force water to drink, cook, or wash, you can use a shower: when it rains, collect the water in a container with a large leaf.

Plants as sources of water.

Another important way to get water in rainforests ; is to get it from plants. You can use, for example, roots, vines or palms. Bamboo is also known to collect a lot of water. All you have to do is fold so that water can flow into your container.

Roots can also be seen as sources of water, but you have to be careful because some of them produce a poisonous liquid. Palms contain a liquid that is very good to drink and can be collected in large quantities ;

How to find food

You not only need water in the jungle to survive. You will also need to find edible foods to provide the energy you need. There are several food options in the jungle. These will be plants, fruits, fish, animals, or even insects. Let's see something about each of these categories ..

plants

The best solution for choosing plants to eat, ; it is to have a guide or an experienced person to help you, because there are many plants in the jungle that can cause health problems and even death. However, here are some plants to avoid:

• plants with yellow or white berries,
• mushrooms ; many of them are toxic,
• plants that have leaves in a group of three
• plants with thorns or bright leaves
• plants that produce milk juice.

Instead, you can choose fruits that you can be sure are good, such as bamboo, lotus, water lily, or wild rice.

fruits

A good option to eat in the jungle ; this is fruit ..

The jungle has a wide variety of fruits such as bananas, mangoes, coconuts, papaya, sugarcane, bakery and many more ;

animals

From this category, you can choose birds and small animals because they are easier to catch and cook. As for birds, almost everything is good to eat, except for kites or vultures, which have a terrible taste. Frogs may be another option, as they are considered a real delicacy. Be careful to peel the frogs before cooking.

fish

There are many types of fish in the jungle waters. All you need to do to get fish for food is ; is to make a good fishing spear and start fishing. Trout, catfish, freshwater salmon, snakehead ; here are just a few of the many species of fish that someone experienced in the jungle can eat safely ..

insects

If you can eat insects, they are recommended as they are an excellent source of protein ;

You can eat insects such as crickets or grasshoppers, ants or termites, beetle larvae or even worms if well cooked. You can fry or boil them to get rid of toxins ..

See also: Edible snails: how to find, cook and eat them

Anyway, there are some insects, such as the brightly colored ones or those that bite or bite, that you should avoid because they are not safe for your health ..

Dangers to Consider

As you can see, survival in the jungle is possible as you find sources of water and food. However, the jungle ; these are dangerous places where you must be careful with every step, because otherwise you could get hurt or even die. This is why it is important that you know the most dangerous things in the jungle ..

Wild animals

Many creatures in the jungle can be quite scary and you should stay as far away as possible. Jaguars, boars or cougars ; these are just a few of them. However, snakes are a very dangerous category. Vipers, coral snakes, anaconda or cobras ; some of the most famous snakes that can kill someone in a short amount of time.

There are also deadly creatures in the waters such as piranhas or the yellow frog, which is a species of poison frog ..

Therefore, in order to protect yourself from wild animals, several safety measures must be taken into account. First of all, you should try to remain silent so that you can hear all kinds of noise and not summon some creatures ..

In case an animal attacks you, you must remain calm and move slowly, because this way the animal can get away. If he sees you running, he will definitely attack you.

insects

In the jungle, even the smallest insects can do a lot of damage. You must stay focused and avoid any insect bites or bites, as some of them can transmit deadly viruses. This is the case for spiders or mosquitoes. Termites or ants are also known to be very dangerous. You must be careful not to step on some of these dangerous insects or put one of them on your shoes or clothes ..

Poisonous plants

As we said earlier, some plants in the jungle are not safe for your health. There are some you shouldn't eat, but there are some that you shouldn't even touch ..

This is why you have to walk through the jungle with a knife and machete in hand to cross the vegetation. Poisonous plants ; these are usually the ones that produce milk juice ..

Fallen trees

Surprisingly, falling trees in the jungle are more dangerous than wild animals. You must take care of the vegetation and also be careful when climbing trees as it can fall and damage ..

Other safety tips

In addition to the security measures mentioned, there are other things to keep in mind to stay safe in the jungle:

• In the jungle, fire is very important for many reasons. First, it helps you prepare food. Secondly, you can use it to warm up. It also protects you from wild animals and protects you from insects ..
• A good shelter made of wood is very important to stay safe. You can get some ideas from books or the internet to build your perfect jungle hideout ;

Adventure in the wild jungle ; it is a unique experience, and people who have had such a long experience can be considered real survivors.

These are very beautiful places where you can admire many interesting things, but at the same time, the jungle is still full of dangers and you must be ready to survive here. You cannot start an adventure like this without first initiating it ..

You should read, communicate with experienced people and watch movies. Remember that your mental state is very important in order to survive.!

To keep yourself updated, read our previous article on the bushcraft skills needed to survive in the jungle.