To stay alive in an unknown and hostile environment it is necessary to take care of eight key points: water, food, shelter, fire, body, orientation, displacement and signaling. Furthermore, someone who gets lost in the jungle, either because he deviated from a path or because he was on board a means of transport that ended up in the woods, needs to have self-control, a good dose of courage and perseverance to overcome the situation. The first thing to do is not to panic. Slowly, it will be easier to find your way back.
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Bem Vindo a Selva
With few resources and a lot of care, it is possible to escape the thick forest
Shelter
Building a shelter in a clearing is essential for spending the night. To increase safety, it must be suspended half a meter from the ground, making it difficult for water and animals to enter. A platform with crossed branches and supported by wooden stumps driven into the ground ensures elevation.
Water
Hydration is vital for survival, whether collecting rainwater or drinking from the river. In the first case, it is worth using leaves to channel the water that flows from branches and trunks to the mouth. In extreme cases, the way is to tie a T-shirt on the leg to collect water from the dew accumulated on the vegetation.
Food
The jungle is full of animals, but it’s not easy to hunt them. If a snake appears, look for stones or branches and try to face the meal. One should avoid plants with hairs, bitter taste and milky sap – characteristics of poisonous ones. Pecked or bitten fruits are usually edible.
Displacement
Climbing a tree to observe the surroundings avoids disoriented locomotion. It is also important to set reference points such as rocks or tall trees with different foliage. Marking the path by cutting tree branches prevents walking in circles and guides rescue teams
Guidance
Locating the cardinal points is a good way to orient yourself. If the forest is not very dense, just wait for the sun to rise to find out where the east is. Extending the right arm in that direction, the left will point west. North will be at the front and south at the back
Body
Taking daily showers, washing scratches and insect bites, prevents infections. Feet must be taken care of, as they are essential for locomotion. In addition to wearing long-sleeved shirts to avoid bites, it’s worth putting your pants’ legs inside your shoes or socks – even to sleep
Signaling
Thick smoke signals can be seen by aircraft when flying over clearings. Reflecting sunlight with mirrors or aluminum foil can also ensure an air rescue. To guide the help on land, arrows must be marked on the ground, indicating the direction taken every time you leave the camp.
• It is important not to set up the shelter under large trees to avoid falling branches and large fruits.
• Ceiling and platform should be covered with banana leaves attached with twisted roots or vines – no knots to avoid bursting
• A bonfire with a maximum diameter of 1 m prevents fires
• If the forest is in a coastal region and the idea is to escape towards the beach, it is best to head east
• Shake out shoes and clothes before putting them on. This can save you from a spider or scorpion bite.
Fire
A bonfire warms the body, wards off animals and helps with cooking. See how to do it:
1. Split a branch in half to get a flat face
2. Take a knife to make a track in the wood
3. Rub a wand in the direction of the trail until an ember appears
4. Pour the coals over the following materials in the order indicated:
INGREDIENTS
Lock of hair
Straw
Tissue
Paper
sticks
twigs
logs
FORCED REST
How to act if the plane crashes in the jungle
Shortly after the crash, survivors must move away from the aircraft, wait for the engine to cool and the fuel to evaporate. Then it’s time to tend to the wounded. The plane can be used as a shelter for the first few days. If help doesn’t arrive after a few days, it’s time to try to get out of the woods, following the guidelines in this article.
IT’S A STONE, IT’S A STONE
Rocks, logs or branches help form codes to guide rescuers
We can’t continue the trip
We are moving in that direction
we need medicine
SOURCE Manual Survival on Land and Sea, from the Ministry of Aeronautics, and manuals from the Military Command of the Amazon and IBGE. CONSULTANCY Lúcio Resende Jr., specialist in survival courses in hostile environments