Limited to northern South America, they are small but have very big teeth,
and they travel in large schools capable of devouring a person in minutes.
They are most dangerous in shallow waters during the dry season.
Electric eels—which can be 6 ½ feet (2 m) long—are usually found in
South America and are capable of generating up to 500 volts of electricity.
Large freshwater turtles may seem like an easy meal, but the snapping turtles
of North and South America have been known to bite the fingers and toes off
unsuspecting people. Even the platypus, which is found only in Australia, has a
poisonous spur on each hind foot that can inflict intensely painful wounds.
Far less dramatic but no less a hazard are falling coconuts, silly as
that may sound. More people are killed in the tropics every year from fall-
ing coconuts than from shark attacks. Victims are usually at the base of a
palm tree when it happens. Be careful where you decide to sleep; most of
these deaths occur at night.
Rising river levels pose a real threat in the tropics, even if a storm
is not apparent in your immediate area. Jungle rivers can rise by as much
as 20 feet (6 m) in a few hours, even though the rise is caused by storm
systems many miles away.
I think the jungles of this planet are home to more dangers than any
other region. An entire book could be dedicated to the subject. From cat-
erpillars to freshwater stingrays, from a deluge of rain to killer ants, from
roaming jaguars to wasps as long as pencils, jungles are home to a bewil-
dering array of events and creatures that can hurt or kill you. Yet, jungles
are amazingly beautiful places to experience, and they are still my favorite
ecosystem for adventuring. They can be for you too, if you’re careful.
Coastal Regions
Oceans rival jungles for the most hazards to travelers. Salt water is home to
numerous threatening creatures, none as feared as the shark. Shark attacks
are rare, however, and usually considered accidents. You can best avoid
shark attack by avoiding shark habitat.
In shallow waters, you’ll find many creatures that can inflict pain and
cause infection to develop if you happen to step on them. Invertebrates
such as jellyfish are capable of injecting venom by biting or stinging, or
through spines located in their fins and tentacles. Although jellyfish-related
deaths are relatively uncommon, invertebrate bites or stings can be fatal.
(^272) | Survive!