to forage for food), if a predator is seriously hurt, its ability to hunt—and
therefore to eat—is impaired. For instance, a wolf that suffers a broken jaw
from a tangle with a moose is as good as dead. Animals such as these will
often retreat rather than fight.
stroud’s Tip
Your fire may not be as effective as you thought in keep
ing you safe from animals. A small fire will provide warmth,
light to see what is going on around the shelter, and burning
logs that can be used as “weapons” to scare off animals. But big
fires can attract curious predators, and also insects and scorpions.
Build your fire using heavy, hard wood that will burn slowly through
the night, provide longlasting coals, and offer strong “missiles” as
weapons in case of an attack.But if a true predator attacks you, your only chance may be to fight
back. If you end up in a body of salt water during a survival situation, don’t
create a lot of turbulence by thrashing about, as sharks are attracted to this
type of behavior. While filming a TV special on sharks in the Caribbean, I
was treading water with a number of lemon sharks beneath me and two
tiger sharks close by (accidental and true predators). We posed the ques
tion whether it was better to swim as fast as possible to the boat or lie still
and let the boat come to get me. When I made my move by swimming
quickly and splashing a lot, a huge shark darted straight for me, excited by
my movements.
Never enter the water if you are bleeding, as a shark can detect even
the smallest amount of blood in the water. Finally, do not throw entrails
or garbage into the water, as this, too, may attract sharks. Look behind any
cruise ship that throws its food refuse overboard and you will see hun
dreds of sharks.
If you do encounter a shark, your only option is to defend your
self. A shark’s most sensitive place is its nose; direct your blows there.
Remember that sharks like to attack from behind, so try to face the shark
at all times. Keep your back against a coral reef or wreckage, if there is
(^258) | Survive!