A rainforest is defined as dense, evergreen forests that average at least 60 and 400 inches of rainfall per year. Today, rainforests cover just 2% of the Earth’s surface, but are the natural habitats for more than half of the world’s plant and animal populations. In fact, just a small four square mile stretch of rainforest contains over 1,000 species of flowering plants, more than 700 species of trees, 125 varies types of mammals, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies.
There are two types of rainforests – temperate and tropical. Tropical rainforests are the ones we usually think of when we hear the word used. To quality, tropical rainforests must maintain a year round temperature between 70 and 85 degrees and receive between 80 and 400 inches of rain per year. They also must be located in tropical climates along the equator. You see these types of rainforests in South America and Africa and are what most people associate with the term ‘jungle’. Temperate rainforests are located in more ‘temperate’ and dryer climates and are widely found along the western Pacific coasts of North and South America. They receive between 40 and 200 inches of rain per year and have temperatures that fluctuate between 80 degrees and near freezing.
Rainforests
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The treetop canopies of rainforests are very dense and do not allow much of the sun’s rays to permeate the forest. The trees are also responsible for retaining water which produces rain clouds, when mixed with the constant humidity. They can even make it rain! In fact, the Amazon rainforest is able to produce 50% of its precipitation by itself. The lack of sunshine makes rainforests very dark and damp places. Most people, besides tribal groups and extreme thrill seekers, think them to be dangerous places they would never want to visit. However, some people find themselves in the middle of a rainforest by no fault of their own. Plane crashes, ship sinking and other tragic events have been known to maroon people in the middle of one of these rainforests, leaving them ill prepared for survival. So what would you do and what SHOULD you do if you find yourself lost or abandoned in a rainforest?
First and foremost – don’t panic. Yes, we know what you’re thinking – “Easier said than done”, right? That’s true, but you must find a way to calm yourself and to remain calm because panicking is only going to rob your body and mind of precious resources that you’re going to need for survival. In no way is panicking going to help your situation. In fact, if you let your mind start to wander and ponder the ‘what ifs’, panicking can make a bad situation exponentially worse. After you get your mind to a clear place, focus, instead on what you DO have and what you CAN do, rather than the doom and gloom scenarios.
Three things are certain: you’re going to need food, shelter and water. Start by salvaging everything you can from your belongings and see what you can turn into a tool. Sharp objects can be used for cutting. Extra clothing can be torn into strips for tying things. Containers large and small can be used to hold water. Wood and metal from boat or plane wrecks could be used to build a shelter. You’re going to have to be creative. Anything you have on you or in your wreckage that you think could possibly have a use – keep it.
Step 1 – Shelter should be your first priority.
1. Look for natural tree, rock and foliage formations that could work as a shelter to save time, materials and energy in having to build one. Caves would be your best option because they provide shelter from the elements and are also cooler than outside temperatures.
2. If you can’t find any natural formations to help with your shelter, gather limps, branches and any pieces of materials you can salvage and start tying them together.
3. If you don’t have extra cloth, use leaves or vines from the plants around you.
You want to build your shelter on high ground near a water source. Never build along a river or stream because in the very likely event of rain, the river may swell during a flash flood and put you in danger of being swept away.
Step 2 – Fire is going to be your friend for many reasons.
You can use it for light, for warmth, for cooking and for sterilizing the water you have collected.
1. While you’re collecting shelter supplies, look around for stones or rocks to make a fire circle with.
2. If you can’t find any, just clear off an area on the ground and make it free of any leaves, plants or debris. You might want to dig a small indention in the dirt to make a pit of sorts, but you don’t have to.
3. Finding dry wood in a rainforest might be a challenge, but shouldn’t be impossible. Just look for downed trees, dry leaves, twigs – anything that might remotely burn.
Step 3 – Find water.
You can go longer without food than you can go without water so begin your search for a reliable source of water as soon as possible. If you can’t find a stream or lake nearby, start searching for containers that can hold rain water. Rainforests are, by definition, very wet places so if you have to wait for the rain to collect water in the containers – so be it. You may also find water from previous rains dripping off plants and trees. Some plants may even store water in their roots so keep an open mind and consider everything around you as a possible source of water.
Step 4 – Find food.
Gathering food may prove to be your biggest challenge, especially if you aren’t used to roughing it. If you have any provisions of your own from wreckage or whatever, be sure that you salvage all you can.
1. Otherwise, begin looking around for nuts, roots, berries and fruits. Of course, you’re going to want to look for things that look familiar to you, but if you can’t find them, you can improvise. You can’t know what’s poisonous or isn’t, but a good indicator is the taste. If you lick or taste a small portion of something and its overly bitter, it’s a good idea to pass on it.
2. You can make a fishing pole out of a stick and cloth rags – even vines if you have to. Just find something sharp to fashion into a hook. If the water source near you is shallow enough, you could even try your hand at spear fishing by sharpening the end of a stick.
3. Rocks can be used to hunt small game and birds. Even if you don’t find food – keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water. That’s the most important thing.
Step 5 – Mark your paths and signal for help.
You never want to venture too far from the place that you landed because if you are with a group of people who may return to look for you, they’re going to be looking in the area where they last saw you.
While out gathering materials and foraging, be sure to mark your path in some way so that you don’t get lost again and end up without shelter or whatever provisions you managed to improvise with already. You could put sticks in the ground, leave a rock path or even make markings on trees. Anything that’s going to help you find your way back.
If you’re near a beach or find an open space, be sure you make a sign to let people know you are in distress. Sometimes aerial searches will be sent out to locate people in situations like these so making a signal that can be seen from the air is ideal – maybe “SOS” or “HELP” made from rocks or sticks or written in the sand.
Final thought – Above all else, be realistic with yourself.
It may take days for anyone to find you, but if you put forth the effort, you should be able to find everything you need to survive until help arrives. Stay calm. Stay focused. Think positive.