What you need to do to survive in the jungle. Survival Tips
How to survive in the jungle
But by taking into account all of the guidelines listed below, you can not only resist wild conditions jungle, but also to return home safe and sound.
No matter how sad it may sound, but, alas, you are lost in the jungle. As they say, tears won’t help matters, it’s time to move on to decisive action to survive:
3. Find/Build a shelter.
4. Move in one direction.
5. Ensure safety.
Let's talk about each of the points in more detail.
1. Find a source of drinking water.
Unlike the dry climate of the desert, jungle forests have high humidity, so finding water will not be difficult. So, sources drinking water will be:
Rain is not uncommon in the jungle. From large plant leaves you can make a funnel to collect rainwater. But before drinking it, it is better to boil the water to kill all the bacteria it contains. A tin/aluminum can works well for this.
When it rains, bamboo accumulates some water. Tilt the bamboo stalk so that the water falls into the designated container.
Solar water collector:
Step 1: Dig a hole in the ground.
Step 2: Place a container in the center of the hole to collect water.
Step 3: Fill the space around the container with something raw, such as wet leaves.
Step 4: Cover the hole with a plastic sheet and place rocks around the edges.
Step 5: Place a small stone in the center of the leaf directly above the water collection container.
Step 6: Condensed water will accumulate on inside sheet and move to its center, filling the container with distilled drinking water.
2. Find food:
As you know, it grows in the jungle great amount plants and an equally large number of animals live, so anything can become a source of food for survival. The only thing you need to decide is how to get it. Here are some practical tips:
Don't waste your energy on hunting if you haven't done it before. It is better to set traps and save energy for other moments of survival. To increase your chances of having something edible on your table for dinner, let's set a few traps in different places Thus:
Step 1: Find three branches and a heavy stone.
Step 2: Make some notches on the sticks like in the picture below.
Step 3: Hold the stone with your hand while installing sticks “A” and “C”.
Step 4: When the stone has been supported with sticks “A” and “C”, install the trigger stick “B”.
Step 5: Carefully release the structure.
Step 6: When the bird or small animal will try to take the bait, the trigger stick will fall, and the stone will cover the victim with a fatal blow.
If you find a river or stream in the jungle, consider that this is another food source that is full of fish. And in order to catch her, it will be more convenient to use a spear with four prongs, which we will try to make now:
Step 1: Select a suitable bamboo trunk for your future spear.
Step 2: Using a knife, cut the end of the bamboo stick into quarters, creating four prongs.
Step 3: Using string or a climbing plant stem, separate each tine from each other. Your fishing tool is ready!
Before eating any fruit, you should rely on your own experience: eat only the fruit that you are sure is edible and safe. Fruits and plants that you have never seen before may be poisonous.
3. Find/Build Shelter:
Needless to say, how important the role of shelter is if you find yourself alone under open air. Therefore, we will not rant about this for a long time and get down to business right away.
How to build a shelter shelter:
Step 1: Find a large branch and lean it against the tree.
Step 2: Place the smaller branches at a 45-degree angle along the entire length of the larger branch on both sides.
Step 3: Cover the structure with foliage.
4. Movement/Rest:
If you are not sure that they will soon be looking for you, start your own rescue operation yourself. To do this, move in the jungle only during the daytime and sleep at night. For the purpose of survival, try to go only in one direction and remember some objects along the way to prevent wandering in a circle.
Also pay attention to whether any animal left traces. If you notice any, look where they lead. They can often lead you to a water source or open area where you will be easier for the rescue team to locate.
By the way, to move through the dense jungle it would be good to stock up on a cane made from an ordinary tree branch. It will be useful not only for clearing your path from the plants you encounter, but will also become a lifesaver and help you get out of the quicksand.
5. Security
In the jungle, regardless of its location, there are beasts of prey, so it's wise to always be on guard. It is best to move through the jungle slowly, without sudden movements or creating unnecessary noise. Don't forget to watch your step so you don't accidentally step on a snake. If you don’t have any weapons, you can use a self-made spear for self-defense.
The danger in survival in the jungle also comes from mosquitoes and other poisonous insects. For example, mosquitoes transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever.
If you don't have insect repellent, you can use the following methods to protect yourself from bites:
- Wear clothes with long sleeves and pants;
- Apply dirt to unprotected areas;
- Make a headdress from a shirt;
- Before putting on your shirt or shoes, check them thoroughly for spiders and insects.
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A person who finds himself in the jungle for the first time and does not have a true idea of its flora and fauna, the characteristics of behavior in these conditions, to a greater extent than anywhere else, develops self-doubt, the expectation of danger, depression and nervousness. The originality and unusualness of the situation in combination with high temperature and air humidity have a depressing effect on the human psyche.
A pile of vegetation, surrounding on all sides, hindering movement and limiting visibility, causes a person to fear closed spaces. This is a condition that is aggravated by the twilight that reigns around, filled with thousands of faint sounds, manifests itself in inadequate mental reactions:
1. In lethargy and inability to perform correct, consistent activities.
2. In strong emotional excitement, which leads to rash actions.
As you get used to the environment of the tropical forest, this state disappears the sooner the more active person will fight him. Knowledge about the nature of the jungle and methods of survival in it, according to the author of the www.site, will contribute to successfully overcoming difficulties.
The transition in the jungle is extremely difficult. Overcoming dense thickets, numerous rubble from fallen trunks and large tree branches, vines creeping along the ground, and disc-shaped roots require great physical effort and force you to constantly deviate from the direct route. The situation is aggravated by high temperature and humidity.
That's why the same physical exercise in temperate and tropical climate turn out to be qualitatively different. In the jungle, energy expenditure in movement at a temperature of 27-40 ° C and high humidity air increase compared to the conditions temperate climate almost 2 times.
Features of movement in the jungle
Movement in primary tropical forest, despite the obstacles, the abundance of fallen leaves, bushes, and wet swampy soil, it is relatively easy. But in the thickets of the secondary jungle you can’t even take a step without the help of a machete. Sometimes, after spending a whole day making his way through the thicket of bushes and bamboo, dense tangles of vines and tree growth, a person becomes convinced that he has covered only 2-3 km. Along paths trodden by people or animals, one can move at considerable speed, but even here the traveler encounters various obstacles. Sometimes it's enough to take a few steps to the side to get lost.
A constant danger in the jungle is the countless thorns sticking out in different sides fragments of branches, edges of leaves of the pandanus palm. Even minor abrasions and scratches caused by them easily become infected and fester if they are not immediately lubricated with iodine or alcohol. Cuts caused by the razor-sharp edges of split bamboo trunks and the stems of some grasses take especially long to heal.
When crossing forest thickets, you need to protect yourself as much as possible along the route from thorns, broken branches, sharp edges of leaves, and split bamboo trunks. You need to lower your sleeves and button the cuffs, tuck your pants into your socks, put on a hat and gloves. If gloves are not available, socks worn on the wrists are used to protect hands and prevent slipping when climbing (descending) slippery trees, roots or vines.
You should move along river banks, along animal or hunting trails. Trees with roots extending outwards indicate a swampy area. On slippery slopes, you can use bamboo sticks to make steps.
Rest while moving in the jungle
How to make your trek through the rainforest easier:
When moving through the jungle, depending on the density of the forest, you need to make a 10-minute rest stop every half hour.
After about 5 hours, a halt is arranged for 1.5-2 hours. This is enough to gain strength, prepare hot food or tea, and put your shoes and clothes in order.
1-1.5 hours before dark you need to choose a place to stay for the night and arrange it. Darkness in the tropics occurs almost without twilight between 18 and 19 hours.
If during the day a person, making his way through the jungle, continually runs into obstacles, then at night the difficulties increase many times over. As soon as the sun sets, the jungle plunges into impenetrable darkness.
After settling in for the night, damp shoes and socks should be dried thoroughly and, if possible, your feet should be washed and the spaces between the toes should be powdered with drying powder. The benefits of these protozoa hygiene requirements unusually large. With their help, you can prevent various pustular and fungal diseases that occur in the tropics due to excessive sweating of the feet, maceration (softening from constant moisture) of the skin and its subsequent infection.
Jungle campsite
The location for setting up a tent or building a temporary shelter must be chosen so that there is no dead wood or trees with large dry branches nearby. They break off even with small gusts of wind and, falling, can cause serious damage.
A temporary shelter can be easily built from scrap materials. The frame is made of bamboo, and palm leaves are used for covering, laid on the rafters in a tile-like manner.
Navigation in the jungle
It is extremely difficult to navigate in the tropical forest, since the methods for determining the cardinal directions natural signs, which are usually used in the taiga and forests middle zone Russia turn out to be unacceptable. In order not to go astray, even with a compass, every 50-100 meters, depending on the density of the forest, you should mark a noticeable landmark.
When swimming or wading in tropical rivers, you may be attacked by crocodiles. In South American reservoirs, piranhas are no less dangerous - small, about the size of a human palm, fish of black, yellowish or purple color, with large scales, as if sprinkled with sparkles. The smell of blood causes an aggressive reflex in piranhas, and, having attacked a victim, they do not calm down until only a skeleton remains.
Before overcoming large water obstacles, you must make sure that there is no large predators(observation or live bait). To prevent attacks by piranhas, it is enough to build a small raft of 2-4 logs from vines and logs.
Mosquitoes in the jungle
Mosquitoes are active mainly at night. During the day they concentrate in shady places and near bodies of water. A strip of fabric 40-50 cm wide and 70-80 cm long with cut vertical fringe is used, which, swaying near the face and neck, will ward off insects.
To protect exposed areas of the skin, a solution of silt or clay is used (when it dries, it forms a dense crust). To reduce the chance of getting heatstroke, the solution is best applied at night, when the body produces the least heat.
Water-salt balance of the body in the jungle
An increase in energy consumption, and, consequently, an increase in heat transfer, puts the body, which is already experiencing significant thermal load, in even more unfavourable conditions. Sweating increases sharply, but due to the high humidity of the air, the sweat does not evaporate, but flows down the skin, flooding the eyes, soaking clothes.
Excessive sweating not only does not bring relief, but also exhausts a person even more. Fluid losses during movement increase several times, reaching one liter per hour. To maintain a positive water-salt balance, it is necessary to practice drinking plenty of water, adding salt to the liquid at the rate of 2 grams per liter.
Do not forget that there are other dangers in the jungle - diseases, poisonous plants, predators, etc. We'll talk about this and much more later.
When planning a trip, be sure to tell your friends exactly where you are going and when you return. If something doesn’t go as planned, they will miss you and will be able to notify the relevant structures, which will begin a search.
- Before going on a trip, prepare thoroughly. Get the basics geographical information about the region you are going to, get to know the local flora and fauna. Depending on the terrain conditions, take the appropriate equipment, tools, and of course suitable clothing
and shoes.
- Restraint and good calculation. If you get lost, first think about where it’s best to go, and then go.
If you are tired, take a rest. If you're hungry, look for something edible. The goal is to be in good physical and moral shape. After an unusually long fast, the body will become very weak and the chances of a good outcome will be less and less.
- There is no need to lose heart. Remember the stories about how people managed to get out of the most hopeless situations and the most extreme places. Don't underestimate yourself. You are not the first and you are not the last. Others have coped, so can you.
The best advice that can be given to a person lost in the desert is to hide in the shade and wait for help. If there is no chance that they will miss you and start looking for you, then you will have to actively act.
- The main danger in the desert is heatstroke and dehydration, which occur quite quickly. First of all, you need to take care of your head. Cover your head with a light cloth, it will reflect Sun rays. Take off your dark clothes, but do not undress completely, otherwise you will get severe sunburn. Do not throw away the clothes you have removed; they may come in handy at night. The air temperature in the desert at night can drop to 5 degrees, and in particularly remote parts from the sea it can reach minus.
- It is very important to find running water. Still water in such places it is almost always contaminated with the decaying corpses of animals that came to the “deadly” watering hole, and with pathogenic bacteria. Such water can be drunk only after distillation or at least after filtration and long boiling.
- Plants will be a sign that there is water nearby.
An unpleasant feature of the jungle is its very dense vegetation, which makes movement very difficult and dangerous. And also the availability large quantity insects and dangerous animals, snakes. It is more difficult to die from hunger here, but you need to be as careful and attentive as possible.
Look for a river or lake, there will most likely be people there. You can find water by looking at particularly dense vegetation from the top of a tall tree.
Walking through the jungle is a dangerous activity, so watch your step. It's easy to fall flat, trip over a log, or get tangled in a vine if you're not careful.
In the jungle there is no point in wasting energy on hunting or setting traps, because there are plenty of edible plants there. Before you go on a hike, do some research edible plants grow in this area.
Find out what animals you can find and which ones can be life-threatening.
Determine your location on a sunny day, you can understand which side of the world is which side of the world is using the “sticks and shadows” method. Find a stick, stick it in the ground and notice where the shadow falls. Make a note and wait 15 minutes. Make a mark again, draw a straight line between them; this will be the direction from east to west. The direction can also be determined by moss and denser branches on trees.
- Dew often collects on leaves and pine needles overnight, so if you become dehydrated it can save your life. If you are lucky enough to get enough food, make sure that nothing is left uneaten, otherwise there is a risk that bears or other predators will come to feast on the leftovers.
- If you are a bad swimmer, but need to overcome water hazard, look for a log with its help you can swim across big lake or a river.
The main threat to the lives of skiers in the mountains is avalanches. Therefore, when heading to such an area, you need to take with you a beeper device that emits a radio signal). Turn it on so rescuers can find you in case of a blockage or avalanche.
- Snow can tell you if an avalanche is coming. Check with ski pole, dense snow or loose. If it's tight, everything is fine. If it is stable when hit with a stick, everything is fine. If it settles, this is a danger signal.
- Glaciers are natural indicators. If you go down them, you will get out of the mountains into a more comfortable area.
- The air temperature in the mountains can drop significantly. For example, in Alaska it can reach 60 degrees below zero, and you risk frostbite. Keep extremities as warm as possible. The signal of frostbite is waxy skin, redness, and then blackening of the skin.
Basics of survival in any conditions
Don't eat raw food
It's not worth taking risks with food. Before you eat anything, cook or fry your impromptu breakfast, lunch or dinner, and boil the water. Worms and various worms that are found throughout freshwater fish They won’t kill you; you can get rid of them when you return home. But you can catch some harmful bacteria or stick from the meat of wild animals or dirty water and get very sick
fast. And in the middle of the taiga or desert, no one will take you to the hospital.
Save energy
Breathe through your nose, this will save more energy. When you breathe through your mouth, you lose more moisture, which can be very necessary. If possible, rest while stopping eyes closed. This will help you rest better and faster, and will also save a lot of energy, since a person spends a lot of energy on vision.
Count the days, hours
To avoid going crazy alone, just keep track of the days. If you don't do this, your brain will start playing cruel jokes on you.
Stay slightly hungry
Eat as much as you need to stay in good shape. You should not fill your belly by eating your fill, as you will not only waste precious food reserves, but you will also feel tired.
Mark your movements
Don't rely on your memory. Make notches in trees, break branches, whatever, so that you can then get back and not get lost. Or, on the contrary, it is understood that you have already been here and are moving in a circle.
Find shelter
Find a secluded place where you can hide from the sun, bone-chilling wind or cold. You can hide in the shade of trees, a quarry or in an uninhabited cave. At night you need to build a hut from branches.
You can easily get into the jungle, into the wild tropical forest even in the most cultural country. Why is the island of Singapore a civilized and cleaned-up state, and even there there is a piece of real jungle (in botanical garden). So any country located in tropical zone, sooner or later will confront you with harsh reality natural nature. Or maybe you yourself would like to try yourself in the role of Mowgli. A two-day excursion through a real rainforest - and you will remember it for the rest of your life.
The jungle is not a picnic in the Moscow region. British, American and some other troops developed detailed guidelines on how to survive in the most difficult conditions and with a minimum of resources. However, most of us cannot even imagine such a thing. If you're lucky, you won't get caught guerrilla warfare in the tropics. Or, even worse, end up in the jungle as a result of a plane crash. On the other hand, you shouldn’t be afraid of the jungle until your knees tremble. You just need to know the rules of behavior and the laws of survival. That's what we'll talk about.
If you find yourself in the jungle against your will, there is no need to panic. As you know, this is the first condition for overcoming any extreme situation. Think about the multitude intrepid travelers, wandering across vast expanses and living for days and even months in places much worse than the rainforest. There you are definitely not in danger of frostbite, dehydration or fainting from hunger. In the end, remember your ancestors - they once lived in similar conditions (not referring to monkeys at all). And you will have confidence in your abilities. Later, calmly assessing the circumstances in which you find yourself, you will understand that nothing particularly terrible happened.
Actually, the jungle cannot be called an unpleasant place (it’s much more unpleasant to get into garbage dump near big city). But you will definitely have to face some inconveniences. For starters, it's usually warm there as long as you're wearing dry clothes. Get wet and you can freeze very quickly (especially at night). Therefore, you will have to keep a sleeping bag and a change of dry clothes ready at all times. The best way keeping things dry means packing them in plastic bags. Moreover, in the jungle, surprises often await you: either your backpack fell into the river, or a tropical downpour poured in (the effect is approximately the same). It is most convenient to stuff your equipment into at least three such bags: one with dry clothes, another with a camera, notebooks, and a third with food.
But be prepared for the fact that you will still have to wear wet clothes. No big deal: it's unpleasant for the first 10 minutes in the morning. In hot weather, it will dry quickly right on you, after which you will still sweat. Or you'll get caught in the rain. Be sure to save a change of dry clothes for sleep.
Since you will often sweat in the jungle, it is not a sin to do laundry every now and then. The conditions here are quite suitable for this. There are many bodies of water, so choose one where you won’t see crocodiles nearby, and wash it. It is better to do this on a sunny day - then things can be dried on hot coastal stones for half an hour. Of course, your camp toilet can be dried over a fire in the evening. But then in the morning you will have to put on something dry that stinks disgustingly of smoke.
Always wear loose clothing in the tropics. It may not suit you very well, but the process of constant getting wet and drying leads to the fact that your suit instantly shrinks. Cotton is best for walking in the tropics, but good quality so that it does not start to rot and tear too quickly.
For feet, baseball cleats or lightweight canvas shoes with rubber soles are usually recommended. However, over long distances, good leather shoes will protect your feet from bruises and blisters much better. In places where leeches live, you have to take footwear a little more seriously: first they put on special cotton stockings, and tie them under the knee with a string so that they don’t slip, and only then socks and boots. On top are long trousers. Then your feet are completely safe. Despite their external unattractiveness, such stockings are an ideal remedy for leeches.
To move around in the jungle, two things are especially necessary: big knife or machete and compass. In addition to what has already been listed, the backpack must contain a map, a waterproof raincoat, tools for starting a fire (a lighter is better than matches), a camp pot, tea or coffee, sugar, and powdered milk.
Spend the night in the forests South America accepted in hammocks. Otherwise tropical world for some reason they prefer tents. What is much less convenient: the ground is literally teeming with insects and small animals. If there is no hammock, then making this universal bed from any waterproof cloth is a matter of technique. And take care of hygiene. Small scratches in the rainforest quickly begin to fester and sometimes do not heal for a very long time. The best prevention- washing and treating wounds at least once a day.
Try to pack food for your trip that is light, compact, and filling. There will be no problems with water, but metal containers with a supply of water will not hurt: puddles, rivers, streams and lakes in the jungle are teeming with bacteria. It is better to replenish supplies from plant viaducts, which are formed by vines and rattans (palm). In their leaves, as in water lily flowers, can accumulate rainwater, which is not very safe, but still better than regular river water. It is quite convenient to drink from such plants, although it is better to filter the liquid through fabric or parts of clothing so as not to swallow sediment.
The jungle is home to a huge amount of living creatures, which swarm around the traveler. In streams - often directly with your hands - you can catch shrimp, turtles, frogs and even fish. Moreover, they are all edible and even tasty. The same cannot be said about plant fruits. It is better not to touch fruits - even ripe ones, even those that animals eat before your eyes. Some edible-looking plants and mushrooms can be very poisonous. Never try to taste wild bee honey unless you know how to handle bees. Not only can you get stung, hornet stings can even be fatal. It is difficult to maintain hygienic standards when preparing food in the tropics. So be prepared for at least mild indigestion.
As for the dangers, there are no more of them in the jungle than on the streets of Moscow at night. Predators prefer slightly smaller living creatures as prey than Homo sapiens, and venomous snakes do not bite very often. One American expedition spent 15 months in Borneo, and, imagine, not one of its participants was bitten. On the contrary, it was the pundits who reduced the number of snakes in the area, as they sometimes included fried reptiles in their menu. True, they knew well the difference between a poisonous snake and a non-poisonous one, how to behave in the presence of a distinguished guest, and how to catch it without much damage to their own skin.
However, an ampoule with an antidote never hurts. What to hide, there are, of course, places where poisonous snakes too much, the hour will come. And no boots will save you. For example, in Costa Rica. Most of the other small nasties (thorns, ants, insects) are more annoying than actually causing pain.
The jungle only seems like a scary place when you're not used to it. Loud strange screams, a gigantic number of unfamiliar reptiles, flying, biting and stinging midges and oppressive heat - they all seemed to conspire to make the traveler lose heart. In fact, the jungle is a paradise. If you are irritated, upset, have lost the meaning of life and are close to suicide, go there immediately. The world you will find yourself in will be so unusual and amazing that there will simply be no time left for self-criticism. And dangers, even imaginary ones, will strengthen your spirit. Many seemingly insoluble problems will cease to exist. In addition, in most parts of the world where jungles remain, aborigines still live. By following their advice and traveling under their careful guidance, you will enrich yourself with the experience of life in natural world and, in turn, help them regain the self-respect suppressed by modern civilization.
You can easily get into a wild tropical forest even in the most cultural country. How civilized and cleaned up the island state of Singapore is, but also there there is a piece of real jungle (in the botanical garden). So any country will sooner or later confront you with the harsh reality of nature. Or maybe you yourself would like to try yourself in the role of Mowgli. A two-day excursion through a real rainforest - and you will remember it for the rest of your life.
The jungle is not a picnic on the Dnieper. British, American and some other troops developed detailed guidelines on how to survive in the most difficult conditions and with a minimum of resources. There is no need to be afraid of the jungle until your knees tremble. You just need to know the rules of behavior and the laws of survival. That's what we'll talk about.
If you find yourself in the jungle against your will, there is no need to panic. As is known, this is the first condition for overcoming any extreme situation. Think of the many intrepid travelers who have roamed vast spaces and lived for days and even months in places worse than the rainforest. There you are definitely not in danger of frostbite, dehydration or fainting from hunger. In the end, remember your ancestors - they once lived in similar conditions (not referring to monkeys at all). And you will have confidence in your abilities. Later, calmly assessing the circumstances in which you find yourself, you will understand that nothing particularly terrible happened.
Actually, the jungle cannot be called an unpleasant place (it is much more unpleasant to end up in a garbage dump near a big city). But you will definitely have to face some inconveniences. For starters, it's usually warm there as long as you're wearing dry clothes. Get wet and you can quickly freeze (especially at night). Therefore, you will have to be ready all the time sleeping bag And change of dry clothes. The best way to keep things dry is to pack them in plastic bags. Moreover, in the jungle, surprises often await you: either your backpack fell into the river, or a tropical downpour poured in (the effect is approximately the same). It is most convenient to stuff your equipment into at least three of these bags: one with dry clothes, another with a camera, notebooks, and a third with food.
But be prepared for the fact that you will still have to wear wet clothes. No big deal: it's unpleasant for the first 10 minutes in the morning. In hot weather, it will dry quickly right on you, after which you will still sweat. Or you'll get caught in the rain. Be sure to save a change of dry clothes for sleep.
It’s not a sin to sometimes arrange washing. The conditions here are quite suitable for this. There are many bodies of water, so choose one where you won’t see crocodiles nearby, and wash it. It is better to do this on a sunny day - then things can be dried on hot coastal stones for half an hour. Of course, your camp toilet can be dried over a fire in the evening. But then in the morning you will have to put on something dry that stinks disgustingly of smoke.
Always wear in the tropics loose clothes. She It may not suit you very well, but the process of constant getting wet and drying leads to the fact that your suit instantly shrinks. Cotton is best for walking in the tropics, but of good quality so that it does not begin to rot and tear too quickly.
For legsBaseball cleats or lightweight canvas shoes with rubber soles are usually recommended. However, over long distances, good leather shoes will protect your feet from bruises and blisters much better. In places where leeches live, you have to take footwear a little more seriously: first they put on special cotton stockings, and tie them under the knee with a string so that they don’t slip, and only then socks and boots. On top are long trousers. Then your feet are completely safe. Despite their external unattractiveness, such stockings are an ideal remedy for leeches.
To move around in the jungle, two things are especially necessary: big knife or machete and compass. In addition to what has already been listed, the backpack must contain a map, a waterproof raincoat, tools for starting a fire (a lighter is better than matches), a camp pot, tea or coffee, sugar, and powdered milk.
It is customary to spend the night in the forests of South America hammocks. For some reason, the rest of the tropical world prefers tents. What is much less convenient: the ground is literally teeming with insects and small animals. If there is no hammock, then making this universal bed from any waterproof cloth is a matter of technique. And take care of hygiene. Small scratches in the rainforest begin to fester quickly and sometimes do not heal for very long. The best prevention is to wash and treat wounds at least once a day.
Try packing one for your trip I'm going, which would be light, compact and filling. WITH water there will be no problems, but metal containers with a supply of water will not hurt: puddles, rivers, streams and lakes in the jungle are teeming with bacteria. It is better to replenish supplies from plant viaducts, which are formed by vines and rattans (palm). In their leaves, as in water lily flowers, rainwater can accumulate, which is not very safe, but is still better than ordinary river water. It is quite convenient to drink from such plants, although it is better to filter the liquid through a cloth or piece of clothing so as not to swallow the sediment.
There are a huge number of living creatures, which swarms around the traveler. In streams - often directly with your hands - you can catch shrimp, turtles, frogs and even fish. Moreover, they are all edible and even tasty. The same cannot be said about plant fruits. Fruits, even ripe ones, even those that animals eat before your eyes - it’s better not to touch them. Some edible-looking plants and mushrooms can be very poisonous. Never try to taste honey from wild bees if you do not know how to handle bees. Not only can you get stung, hornet stings can even be fatal. It is difficult to maintain hygienic standards when preparing food in the tropics. So be prepared for at least mild indigestion.
As for dangers, there are no more of them in the jungle than on the streets of a city at night. Predators prefer as prey animals that are much smaller than Homo Sapiens, and Poisonous snakes They don't bite very often. However, ampoule with antidote never hurts. What to hide, there are, of course, places where there are too many poisonous snakes, you never know what to do. And no boots will save you. For example, in Costa Rica. Most of the other small nasties (thorns, ants, insects) are more annoying than actually causing pain.
The jungle seems like a scary place if you're not used to it. Loud, strange cries, a gigantic number of unfamiliar creatures, flying, biting and stinging midges, and oppressive heat - they all seemed to conspire to make the traveler lose heart. In fact, the jungle is a paradise. If you are irritated, upset, lost the meaning of life and close to suicide, go there immediately. The world you will find yourself in will be so unusual and amazing that there will simply be no time left for self-criticism. In addition, in most parts of the world where jungles remain, aborigines still live. By following their advice and traveling under their guidance, you will enrich yourself with the experience of life in the natural world and, in turn, help regain the self-respect suppressed by modern civilization.