Woman and 3 Kids lost in the Amazon Forest for 34 Days

Some people think the Amazon Rainforest is full of banana trees and friendly natives. The woman took her children to visit their father and got lost in their way back home.

I got lost in the forest for couple of hours last year, worse thing is when you see sunset coming. I found my way home, never told my wife about it. I was alone, as usual when I go exploring. I wouldn't put at risk my family, like this woman did.

She had no gear at all, they not even had a flashlight with them. Big mistake. They found some sort of edible fruit after 5 days. They contracted all kind of skin infections, worms were growing under their skin (see photos in the link). They not even knew how to make fire or hunt. Lucky no jaguar found them. Actually, the second night she heard one jaguar roaring.

The four set back out on the trail but still could not get on the right path and went five days without eating, but drank water from some of the streams they came across. Their food options slightly improved when the mother allowed her children to eat raw fish they plucked out from one of the streams.

Images shared by the family with local Colombian news outlets showed proof of the amount of weight loss they suffered because their food options were limited.

They were careful in what they consumed, picking wild fruits and seeds along the way. But in the back of Oliva Pérez's mind, she knew exactly how much of a risk they were taking.

My mother told me when I was a kid about all the bad thing you can find in the jungle. She was born there. This story made me remember her.

www.dailymail.co.uk...

a reply to: Trueman

Almost qualifies for a Darwin award.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: Trueman
Almost qualifies for a Darwin award.

Those kids were about to be Jaguar's supper the second night. You can't run from a jaguar. They can climb a tree and swim and they can see you in the night like any cat.

a reply to: Trueman

That is why I like a "colder" climate.... less things that want to suck your blood, grow inside you, eat you (sometimes from the inside out), or just kill you for fun.

a reply to: infolurker

I was out snowshoeing, about 20 minutes into it at sunset. It's great because I was watching the full moon rise across a snow-covered meadow, and moving completely silent. Hunting in deep snow is incredible. Just being out for a walk is an almost spiritual experience. No sound, no movement in the light of the moonrise.

Then the thought struck me.

Mountain lion is the only big mammal that doesn't hibernate.

Holy crap.

High tailed it back to the front door, double time. And looking over my shoulder the whole way. mountain lions are pouncers from behind. They sink their teeth into the base of your skull before you can even respond. Your only hope is to spin around and stare him in the eye, causing him to hesitate before he leaps....

Colder climate, colder carcass.

a reply to: Graysen

Ha!

I would rather risk the rare occurrence of a cat, wolf, or bear over worms or insects "erupting" from me or eating me internally.

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: Trueman

That is why I like a "colder" climate.... less things that want to suck your blood, grow inside you, eat you (sometimes from the inside out), or just kill you for fun.

I agree. Here in Michigan we have few poisonous critters and the ones we have are rare, live in specific environments and are shy. There are predators and dangerous large animals here that include coyotes, black bear, timber wolf, mountain lion and moose. Other than the coyotes, the rest are also rare or shy of people. Parasites like mosquitoes, flies, ticks, leeches, etc., are here but far worse in states further south.

However, going further north to yet cooler climates has some pretty nasty stuff too, like grisly bear, polar bear, clouds of mosquitoes and black flies, and a bunch of critters that would tear you a new one if they felt like it. In the northern hemisphere, being near 45 degrees Lat seems about the best zone for less lethal wildlife.

Of course, as I like to say, "There is no such thing as a timid woodland creature."

a reply to: infolurker


well, me too. That's why I moved up here.

To raise my (L)atitude.

The fact is, nature is always tough. Its the selection. It's why we built cities, to protect us from natural selection.

I must say though, that practicing situational awareness and having a prepper mindset would have helped these people or anyone else venturing through a wild area, esp. this extreme.

Personally, in my truck I keep all kinds of useful stuff in case I end up in the ditch or otherwise break down around here in the winter. I was just traveling with my GF in her vehicle, and even though it handles much better than my truck on the snow covered ice rink, I felt vulnerable because she had few emergency resources on hand.

OK, she has on star and her insurance has towing coverage, but without certain stuff in the vehicle, I feel really unprepared to travel in the winter.

about the on star and tow coverage....

The night you need it is when it's -9 and blowing snow sideways. And the guy on call decides he can't make it, for thirty bucks an hour.

Never so alone.

I'm like you. I have a backup battery charger, a portable compressor, some jerky, blankets, a jug of distilled water, a pistol. 3 bucks in quarters, a twenty dollar bill. a trenching tool. a bag of sand. some ice fishing gear. What have you. A guy could have a great weekend in Vegas with all the crap I keep in my car. plus kids' homework for kindling....

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: Trueman
That is why I like a "colder" climate.... less things that want to suck your blood, grow inside you, eat you (sometimes from the inside out), or just kill you for fun.

Here in NJ is cold but we have black bears, wolves, coyotes....always something

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: Graysen
Ha!
I would rather risk the rare occurrence of a cat, wolf, or bear over worms or insects "erupting" from me or eating me internally.

There is also a little fish that gets inside you when to swim naked. You don't want details....hehehe.

originally posted by: Graysen
a reply to: infolurker
I was out snowshoeing, about 20 minutes into it at sunset. It's great because I was watching the full moon rise across a snow-covered meadow, and moving completely silent. Hunting in deep snow is incredible. Just being out for a walk is an almost spiritual experience. No sound, no movement in the light of the moonrise.
Then the thought struck me.
Mountain lion is the only big mammal that doesn't hibernate.
Holy crap.
High tailed it back to the front door, double time. And looking over my shoulder the whole way. mountain lions are pouncers from behind. They sink their teeth into the base of your skull before you can even respond. Your only hope is to spin around and stare him in the eye, causing him to hesitate before he leaps....
Colder climate, colder carcass.

Yeah, down in the south we call them "Puma". Not too many around now, they mostly avoid people but who wants to take the risk. I explored the Andes too when I was young and always wonder if those 2 little lights I saw sometimes in the dark could be one.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

I heard bad things about those grizzly bears. I carry bear spray but never heard if works with them. Black bears are a bit easier to handle but still...

I have spent a lot of time in the woods over my lifetime. I love the woods. I do know that the woods can turn you around easily, the forest can lead you in the wrong direction. I usually take a compass reading and plan my strategy before going into the woods if I am going farther than I can hear the road. You can easily get lost just walking into the woods to go poop, going the wrong way when you finished your business. Anyone can get turned around in the woods if you are not paying attention, you can walk in circles for a long time trying to get back to the road when hunting.

a reply to: rickymouse

That's true. Also important to check the time you spend going deep in the woods. That's tricky, if you start downhill and you take 2 hours to reach your destination, you might take twice the time and energy to go back and the night will find you in the middle or your way.

originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: rickymouse

That's true. Also important to check the time you spend going deep in the woods. That's tricky, if you start downhill and you take 2 hours to reach your destination, you might take twice the time and energy to go back and the night will find you in the middle or your way.

Try dragging a deer a quarter mile up a steep hill after shooting it on the bottom of a ravine. It took me five minutes to get down there, then an hour to get back up with the deer. I was so tired when I got to the top and a deer hoofs almost took off my head when I was leaning on the deer sitting on the ground. I went the wrong way when I took off, but thankfully I ran into my friends and we dragged it down the ravine and up the other side of the ravine, the ravine Y'ed, two came together and I did not realize the ridge on that side did not connect. If I had followed that ridge, it would have never come back to the road.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: Trueman

Almost qualifies for a Darwin award.

At least an honorable mention.

Had an Airforce pilot eject after and engine failure over Alaska. It was summer time and the lows during the night were barely below freezing. The weather was horrible due to fog and visibility so SAR could not get to the downed pilot until the next day..

The ejection was successful as it had been performed at low airspeed and the pilot landed without injury. He had his survival radio and normal stuff you carry on your web belt. They found him the next day dead .. The mosquitoes had been so bad that the pilot had jumped into the water and covered himself with mud to avoid being bitten. He died of hypothermia; all exposed flesh was thoroughly covered with bites.

I have fished in Canada and walked toward a lake to be enveloped in a black cloud of mosquitoes but I had prepared for such an event.. but even so I exited the location.

Back in the 70s I attended jungle survival school in the Philippines. Easy to find food, water, and make a fire and weapons if someone has even a small pocket knife and any knowledge at all.. Bamboo is you friend trust me !

So...when someone gets away from civilization they need a bit of luck and knowledge to have a successful outcome. Hot or cold both can harbor critters who consider you a free meal.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: Trueman

Almost qualifies for a Darwin award.

Yep, so close. Hilarity almost ensued.

Look on the bright side though. I'm sure you can look up heaps of stories about poor children south of the border that actually did starve to death to make jokes about.

I guess that means it only becomes a concern of yours once they cross the border illegally?

Click the OP link and look at those kids, have some more laughs, then resume your normal self-righteous drivel.