All kinds of shows and films about survival in the wild are a constant success among the public. However, the advice they offer is not always useful and applicable in reality, and some are even deadly.
1. Suction snake venom from the wound
If you are bitten by a snake, its poison will quickly begin to enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. Therefore, sucking it out of the wound is completely pointless. Moreover, this Maybe damage nerves and blood vessels and lead to infection.
After being bitten, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. The victim should remain calm and warm, and the injured part of the body should be kept below the level of the heart. If it is not possible to get to the hospital in the near future, a tourniquet should be applied above the bite, but the poison cannot be removed.
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2. Play dead when encountering a predator
In this case, a lot depends on the animal you meet. However, fall to the ground and pretend to be dead rarely is a truly effective tactic. In fact, this can only cause increased interest in your person on the part of the puzzled beast. If he is hungry, he will first want to explore you, and who knows what will come to his mind then.
Your best decision will slowly and carefully leave the meeting place. As a rule, the predator does not plan to eat you, but simply wants to scare you and get rid of your presence. Don’t try to run away from him. Firstly, it is faster, and secondly, this will only provoke the beast, which will most likely try to catch up with you. Instead, try looking bigger, such as opening your jacket, standing up tall, or lifting your backpack above your head.
But it is better to take measures in advance to avoid such a meeting. When moving through the forest, try to make as much noise as possible. Sing, talk, whistle, rattle dishes. Animals will know in advance about your approach and will try to get away.
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3. Look for food
The heroes of some survival shows try to provide themselves with a supply of food first. They immediately go in search of some larvae, collect snails, make snares for birds and fishing rods for catching fish.
Actually a man Maybe live without food for about two months. But only if he has access to water. Without her he will last about a week, and then in comfortable conditions, and not in the wild, when the situation is unpredictable and can change at any moment.
Therefore, first of all, you need to look for water and provide yourself with shelter, and think about food last.
4. Eat plants and drink their juice
The most exciting episodes of survival programs show us how the hero courageously chews grass and snacks on raw mushrooms. “What animals eat, humans can easily eat,” they explain from the screens.
This advice can only work if you are experienced enough to choose harmless ones from among the many types of plants. In other cases not worth it try unknown berries, leaves, stems, fruits and seeds. As attractive as they look, they can be poisonous. Some cannot even be touched to avoid getting a burn or an allergic reaction.
If you eat something inedible, at best you will experience mild food poisoning, accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea, which will lead to rapid dehydration. At worst, death awaits you.
5. Punch the shark in the nose
Very few people have the chance to come face to face with a shark. Apparently, this is exactly what the authors of the completely insane advice hope to do is to punch the shark in the nose at the moment when it attacks.
In fact the most vulnerable The body parts of these fish are eyes and gills. But even if you aim directly at them, it is extremely unlikely that you will be able to deliver really serious blows underwater, and even under stress. Unless, of course, you are Chuck Norris. Otherwise, you will most likely miss and fall into the mouth – you will agree, not the best outcome of events.
Therefore, if you suddenly come face to face with a shark, try to remain calm and swim to the shore or boat as quickly as possible.
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6. Determine cardinal directions by moss
This is probably one of the most long-lasting and widespread myths. I wonder how many tourists, extreme sports enthusiasts and travelers got into trouble because they were looking for moss growing on the north side of trees and rocks.
In fact he growing anywhere where there are favorable conditions for it – shade and humidity. In the northern hemisphere, moss most often occupies the northern side, and in the southern hemisphere, on the contrary, it occupies the southern side. But it can be found on both the western and eastern sides, so you should not navigate by it as a “natural compass”.
7. Rub frostbitten parts of the body
When you stay out in the cold for a long time, the greatest risk of frostbite is are exposed your ears, cheeks, nose, chin, fingers and toes. These parts of the body need to be warmed first. But under no circumstances should you rub them with your hands or with snow – this will further damage the affected tissues.
In case of frostbite, first of all, you need to move to a heated room as quickly as possible. If your feet and toes are injured, it is better not to walk, as this will only worsen their condition.
While waiting for medical help, you can immerse frostbitten parts of your body in warm (not hot!) water or use your own body heat, for example, placing your palms in your armpits. A heating pad, infrared lamp, oven or hot battery will not work. Frostbitten areas lose sensitivity, so they are easy to burn.
This material was first published in 2016. We updated it in 2023.
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