4 biggest myths about jungle survival! Stay tuned!

Maintaining life in risky situations requires a level of preparation from anyone that goes beyond what Hollywood movies provide. Stories about jungle survival are practically legendary and well-elaborated, which is why they carry many myths.

It is true that general knowledge often helps in dense jungle, but we need to demystify some commonly propagated ideas, as they can get you into trouble.

Therefore, if you plan to spend time isolated in a wild camp or if you like the idea of preparing for hostile and unknown situations, keep reading this post.

Debunking the 4 Biggest Jungle Survival Myths

In classic television series like Lost or traditional films like Cast Away, we have a classic Hollywood scenario: characters lost on deserted islands, looking for ways to survive.

However, as with most works of fiction, the ideas disseminated in these films are purely fictitious and do not apply to real life. Yet, they have been repeated so many times that they have become true myths, urban legends that can put someone's life at risk.

Let's look at the biggest of these myths and why they don't apply:

Nothing in sight to eat? Eat a plant!

This myth basically stems from the idea that plants are healthy, contain vitamins, and can meet our nutritional needs. So, if you run out of supplements, ingesting a plant might seem like a good option.

However, if you really want to survive, avoid plants. We agree that there are indeed many edible and nutritious species; however, in an unfamiliar environment, they are real dangers.

They can be poisonous, cause allergies, pain, and vomiting. Therefore, prioritize hunting mammals, birds, and – if possible – try to survive by fishing. It is certainly a more viable option.

Feeling very cold? A drink helps warm you up!

Alcoholic beverages are already a permanent part of some adventurers' survival kits. However, many of them don't bring these items into the wild to relax during camping; they bring them to warm up.

This is one of the most common myths, after all, alcohol has the ability to expand blood vessels, which causes blood to be pumped closer to the skin, giving an almost instant warming sensation.

However, just as easily as this heat comes, it also goes. In a short time, all the heat will dissipate from your body, and the thermal sensation will be even lower, meaning the cold, in the end, will be greater than at the beginning. This can even be dangerous.

Bitten by a snake? Suck all the venom out!

After a long time, this myth began to lose its strength. Mainly because many people have ended up seriously injured or even lost their lives believing that the ideal is to remove the reptile's venom as quickly as possible, even if it's with your mouth.

From the outside, it makes no sense to suck out snake venom and end up contaminating your mouth as well, instead of just the bite site. However, the myth encompasses the idea that it is necessary to remove the venom from circulation before it spreads.

In these cases, however, the ideal thing to do is to clean the wound, try to keep your heart rate very low, and seek medical help as quickly as possible.

Came face to face with a predator? Play dead!

This is one of the most common and erroneous scenes in fictional films and series. How many times have we seen on screen a wild animal walk past someone, smell them, and still continue on its way, completely ignoring the feast?

This could happen, but only if it were a female defending her young. In any other situation, playing dead would do nothing; the animal would attack anyway.

To at least try to defend yourself from a predator, our best option is always to try to appear larger and more intimidating than the animal. Use everything you have: clothes, objects, your body, your voice.

Remember not to look directly into the animal's eyes, as it can sound like a challenge to it, and that's the last thing we want, right? With some luck, the animal might run away.

What should I bring in my survival kit?

This is not a myth, but an essential truth: your survival kit must be absolutely complete. This is the only way to have an advantage in completely hostile places.

Your survival kit can be super varied, as it will depend on the usability and needs of the location.

But, in general, the basic requirements of a survival kit are: Lighter, fire starter, flint, candle, thermal blanket, articulated cutlery, whistle, compass, activated charcoal, fishing kit, chemical light, salt/sugar, water purifiers, and, of course, a multi-tool knife.

Here at Cutelaria Cimo you will find several models of knives that can accompany you during this and many other extreme moments! Visit our store and check out our products.