Tropical Survival

Tropical Survival

Author: nomad solicitor on Thu, 2010-11-11 16:56

Introduction

The tropics are an interesting place to try and survive in any case, let alone in the horrible aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. Even if you live far away from the rainforest; you may find yourself in the middle of a vacation in Thailand when Z-Day goes down, and as such at least a basic knowledge of how to survive in a tropical environment can mean the difference between life and death. In this article I will provide a brief introduction on how to survive in the tropics. This is applicable to most forms of rainforest as well as tropical scrubs and grasslands.

Preparation

If you have been reading any of my articles on survival before this, you will know at this point I give a list of some basic essentials that you will require to survive and thrive in an adverse environment. Before I go on with this list I want to say is don't go packing your BOB, full of kit to the point where it's so heavy you can't move 20km with it on your back without causing yourself injury. This list is just an outline of specific items you should consider having on hand in the case that you live near, or are travelling through, an area with similar characteristics to the ones I have described. If you can't walk 15km without causing yourself injury, even without a pack, I suggest you take up hiking so as to get used to moving long distances without the assistance of machinery.

Clothing: Clothing should be light and breathable; personally I would suggest cotton as synthetic materials will stick to your skin. Carry some spare sets so you can change. Also, don't change your clothes in a heavy rain environment unless it has stopped raining for 48 hours, otherwise you're just going to get your new set of clothes drenched, a definite moral killer. A good investment is a long waterproof jacket, just make sure its waterproof, not water resistant. Always wear long sleeves so as to avoid scratches and cuts from dense undergrowth.
Blade: Thick jungle and scrub is one of the only circumstances in which I would suggest bringing a blade bigger than 8 inches, and by that I mean bring a machete for carving through the bush, also bring a smaller working blade for repairs, cooking, cleaning, etc.
Waterproof Matches & Firestarters: Fire is one of your biggest friends in the jungle, in that it will keep most things away from you, be they big or small. Besides that they also provide warmth and the ability to cook your food, which you should never underrate even in the warmest of climates. On a side note, if you want to keep stealth, never light a fire in the jungle, as the smoke and smell will drift a long way because it is trapped by the canopy. On the same note, try to avoid all foreign scents (especially deodorant and perfumes) which will carry a long way in this kind of terrain.
Food: If possible bring food which is moisture resistant, and then seal it in a bag to keep it from spoiling.
Water & Purification methods: Although water is generally abundant in the tropics, make sure you bring plenty of containers to haul it in, as well as some solid methods of purifying it. Tropical river water is full of parasites, bacteria and other nasties that will ruin your day if you drink it unfiltered and unsterilised.
Sunglasses, sunblock, hat with a brim. Lip salve: The tropical sun can be vicious, and it will burn you to a crisp if you don't prepare right.
Insect Repellent: If you forget this you will wish it was zombies biting you, I'm being serious.
First Aid Kit
Torch and extra batteries: A small hand-held light is adequate.
Map and compass: If you can get your hands on one they are helpful, though don't let them lull you into a false sense of security. Even with a map it is very easy to get lost in the jungle.
Whistle and/or mirror: To attract the attention of or to signal to other people, a very failsafe form of communication as they both don't rely on battery.
A large and study tarp: Seriously, you will need one of these in the tropics, and if it is of inferior design it will break and dump water on you in your sleep. A good way to secure the tarp is with ocky straps, but failing that any kind of durable cord will do.
Sleeping Bag & Mosquito Net: Although it may not seem it, it can get very cold in the jungle of a night. As such invest in at least a light sleeping bag. The mosquito net, whether built into the bag or separate, is a necessity, otherwise you will be doing little sleeping and will subject yourself to the many insect borne diseases of the tropics.
Entrenchment Tool: useful for entrenching and establishing latrines, booby traps, water ditches, caches, etc.

Now I have mentioned before that if you do not treat a minor injury out field, it will fester and get worse. In the tropics this goes double. If you break your skin at any point treat it as an infected wound, and if you get a rash treat it straight away, don't wait. ^v

Shelter

In the tropical rain belts you will experience lots of rain... duh. So during the night ensure that you use your tarp to erect a shelter, and if possible try to get off the ground. Failing that; dig drainage ditches around your shelter to lead the water away. Below I will list the two most common forms of shelter you can erect.

Lean to: The lean to is very simple, just hang the tarp as a single sheet on a 45 degree angle. If you don't have a tarp you can make a rectangular frame from branches and layer it with foliage to the same effect. This shelter will provide a fair bit of air flow, but it will be less protective from the elements.
Inverted V: The inverted V is made by securing the sides of the tarp with pegs, rocks or sticks, and then raising the middle. This form of shelter is much more protective, but it is also won't let any air in and can make for an uncomfortable night's sleep if it is particularly humid.

A good way to collect water is to make use of the natural funnels which will form in your shelter to direct rainwater into open bottles. This method ensures you get fairly fresh water and expend almost no effort. ⁱ

Heat and Humidity

The extreme temperatures and humidity of tropical areas mean that you will dehydrate extremely quickly. As such you should almost double your normal water consumption in a tropical environment. Exposure to heat can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke, where the body struggles to prevent its core temperature from rising above normal limits. Symptoms include: Vomiting, headache, restlessness, or loss of consciousness. Furthermore, people experiencing heat stroke will stop sweating and have a high temperature and may lapse into a coma. The best way to deal with this is to place the victim immediately in the shade, stripping off as much clothing as possible. If water is available use it to cool the person and if possible immerse the person in tepid, not cold, water. If untreated heat stroke can result in brain damage and death. ^v
An often neglected and little remembered danger of heat and humidity is water intoxication. In the tropics you will be sweating profusely. At the same time you will be drinking lots of water to replace this sweat, but you will probably neglect your salt intake, which will also be depleted by sweating. The onset of water intoxication will be heat cramps, and at this stage the solution is to rest and eat something. Taking salt tablets is not recommended as this will dehydrate you severely. Water intoxication itself is a chronic version of this case which can lead to death, however it is very rare as the amount of water that needs to be consumed to cause such a problem is quite excessive. Just remember to eat regularly and water intoxication will be the least of your worries. ^v

Water & Food

Water in the tropics is usually fairly easy to find. If you are in the jungle the best way to get water, besides rainwater, is to cut open roots and vines. If the sap is milky, don't drink it as it is probably poisonous. Don't suck the water directly from the vine/root either, as many plants are covered in thorns or irritants, therefore either let it drip into your mouth, or even better let it drain into a bottle. If you are in grasslands; large amounts of tracks, particularly converging ones, often signal water points. Remember that only herbivores will drink, as carnivores get the majority of their liquids from their prey. ⁱⁱⁱ
Food: there is a large amount of food available in jungles, however, due to the vast amount of foods, as well as the fact that foods vary so much between regions, means that to accurately describe such information is above the scope of this article. Here are some basic pointers to selecting edible plants: Plants with milky sap should be avoided. White berries should never be eaten, red berries are poisonous about half the time. Unless you’re an expert in fungi, do not eat mushrooms. When encountering a possible new food source the following procedure should be followed. ^iv

Cut/crush the plant matter to be eaten and rub it on a small patch of skin (e.g. the underside of the wrist)
If after one hour no ill effects, cut/crush the plant matter to be eaten and rub it into a patch of sensitive skin, preferably on the lip.
If after one hour no ill effects, cut/crush the plant matter to be eaten and put the matter into your mouth, swill it around and spit it out.
If after one hour no ill effects, take a small section of the plant matter to be eaten and swallow it.
If after 24 hours no ill effects the plant matter is safe to be consumed. ⁱ

Animal Dangers

There are a few dangers that you need to be aware of when in the tropics. The first is that mosquito's in the tropics generally carry blood borne diseases (malaria, ross river fever, etc.) which will put you out of action quickly. Always remember to use insect repellent and take your meds (although in a survival situation you may not have long term access to these). The second are the variety of poisonous animals that tend to live in and around tropical areas. As a precaution always prod with a stick and then shake out shoes/clothing/gear that has been left lying around for any period of time so as to dislodge any spiders, scorpions or snakes which have taken up residence in your belongings. If you take these precautions you should be fairly safe from harm. ⁱⁱ

Transport

Unfortunately, though most thick jungle there will be no way to navigate through the vegetation in a vehicle, and as such most movement will be performed on foot. When moving on foot try not to look at the vegetation directly in the foreground, but rather let your eyes relax and see ' through' the jungle, so as to pick better routes and avoid obstacles. Furthermore, when moving, make sure that you do so slowly and carefully. If you are using a machete, only use it when necessary to clear your path, otherwise you'll tire yourself out and make a great deal of noise. When cutting vines, use upwards strokes so as to minimise noise. Carry a big stick to shift vegetation, spiders, ants and other discomforts out of your way, it will make your trip allot more pleasant. Remember that when travelling by foot you will have to play mind games with yourself to ensure that you keep going, this is very important in the jungle when you have little visual measure of how far you have travelled. Make sure that you have pre-designated stops when you move, and that you don't try move too far in one day. ⁱⁱⁱ

Conclusion

The above points will give you a basic idea of how to survive in a tropical environment. Personally, I do not see long term survival in a tropical region for anyone who has not spent a great deal of time getting used to the environment and studying survival in the area as a long term option, as the tropics tend to present problems, such as disease, which will be hard to treat after an apocalypse scenario. Despite this I think it is extremely important to ensure that you are prepared for any situation, and as such tropical survival is something you should consider in your training. Remember, this article is just the tip of the ice-berg when it comes to tropical survival, with heaps of practical and scholarly resources on surviving in tropical conditions. It would be a good idea to read about, and experience tropical survival yourself if you want to be confident in your ability to survive in such an environment. Don’t forget, prior preparation prevents poor performance.

Bibliography

Australian Army: Land Warfare Procedures - General LWP-G 0-2-4
A. Stilell, Crisis Survival, 2010
Aircav, Basic Principles of Tropical Survival, http://www.aircav.com/survival/asch14/asch14p02.html
Equiped to Survive, Tropical Survival, http://www.equipped.com/21-76/ch14.pdf
P. McKie, Active First Aid, 2006