Matador Network, an American digital media company specializing in travel, shares the experiences of survivors lost in the jungle, and advice from famous American survival guide Andrew Herrington.
Keep warm
Pressing your body against another person is a commonly used method of keeping warm. Some people hug each other to keep warm...
It's also possible to exercise, like Jorge Joachim did when he was lost for nine days in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.
Find shelter
If you can find a hollow tree trunk, it's a great shelter like Lacy Murphy did when she survived 2 days on Mt. Rainier (USA).
Some people have also dug holes and lined them with branches and pine needles for insulation.
Find a drink
On average, you can survive about 3 days without water. Many survivors found lakes, streams, and other bodies of water to drink.
Even if the water may be contaminated, Herrington says you're likely to be rescued within 24 hours, so you should be more concerned about dehydration than infection.
Like Gilbert Dewey Gaedke, who spent five days on the lava fields of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano. With no natural water source, he squeezed water from moss to survive.
Aron Ralston (USA), famous for cutting off his own arm to escape a boulder, drank his own urine to survive. Ronald Hutter (USA) also survived 4 days by drinking urine while on the mountain in Mt. Lemmon, Arizona. Ed Rosenthal (USA) did the same when he got lost in Joshua Tree National Park (USA), also getting water from cactus.
Lukas Cavar (19 years old), who got lost in Sullivan Cave, Indiana (USA), used candy wrappers to catch water to survive for 3 days. He also licked the cave walls to retain water, and Lacy Murphy (USA) licked leaves and moss when lost on Mt. Rainier, according to Matador Network.
Find food
Most people have enough calories to survive for about 30 days, so there's no need to panic.
Trying to hunt or forage for food will burn more calories than it gains, so it's best to eat what's available, says Herrington.
If the worst comes to worst, you can eat insects - one of the best natural sources of protein. Greg Hein did this before getting lost in Kings Canyon National Park (USA) for a week. He survived by eating crickets, large ants and water bugs before being discovered by a rescue helicopter.
However, those who survived more than 30 days had to resort to extreme measures. Marco Lavoie, when stranded for 3 months on Mattagami Lake in Quebec (Canada), had to eat everything he could and then fish.
Getting lost in the woods is one of the worst nightmares of traveling.
Back to safety
Nearly two-thirds of rescued people kept moving once they realized they were lost. However, Herrington advises that if you have told someone where you are, it is best to stay where you are because people will be looking for you there. Three-quarters of lost people are found by rescuers rather than finding their way out, so don't go far, according to Matador Network.
This expert recommends bringing tarps and light-colored clothing, as well as carrying a signal mirror so you can shine a light on rescuers. Gaedke escaped the lava field in Hawaii and Lon McAdam (Scotland) was rescued after a week lost in the Superstition Wilderness, Arizona (USA) both by this method.
Following water is often a good route to safety. Austin Bonahan, 18, found this out when he got lost while hiking through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He followed a stream down the mountain to a large creek and was rescued, according to Matador Network.
Going with the flow is often a good way to safety.
You can also try following animal tracks, as Marcus Mazzaferri did in Yosemite National Park (USA) by following deer tracks to escape.
Prepare for the worst
Before a trip, you should tell two different people your travel plans and check-in time, Herrington notes. That way, everyone can find out and search.
You should also study maps and find escape routes if you get lost, and use printed maps instead of relying solely on GPS or battery-powered technology. In addition to essentials like a flashlight, compass, and first aid kit, bring water purification tablets and fire-starting tools like cotton balls soaked in Vaseline and matches or a lighter.
If you go into the forest, mark your path by breaking branches and peeling off bark, then follow these marks to find your way back.
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