2 Scrub-a-dub-dub.
If you can’t get to a tree, the next best thing is thick, scrubby brush. Get as far into the bush as you can. Don’t worry, your panic will keep you from feeling the pricks of those sharp thorns. Better a thorn than a horn.
3 Opposites don’t always attract.
Once you have avoided the charge, run in the opposite direction the rhino is running. These big boys don’t like to turn around, so once they get going in one direction they’re unlikely to reverse course. It’s not a bullfight; you just need to avoid that first charge.
Real or Ridiculous?
The jolly-looking hippopotamus is actually one of the most deadly animals in Africa. Hippos are known for being aggressive when humans enter their territory, and they get particularly riled up when their path to water is blocked, as they spend most of their time underwater (even though they’re mammals). Can you tell which of these hippo activities are real and which are ridiculous?
a. Hungry, hungry hippos have been known to tear full-grown crocodiles in half.
b. Hippos eat rocks to help them sink in the water.
c. A hippo is capable of jumping 2 feet (60 cm) in the air.
d. A hippo might fall asleep right in the water—and stay underwater for as long as five minutes before surfacing to breathe, all without waking up.
e. Baby hippos are born underwater, then they swim to the surface for air.
f. Hippos spin their tails to spread their poo, to mark their territory.
Answer: a, d, e, and f are true.
Appendix
HOW TO TELL DIRECTION WITHOUT A COMPASS
The Stick Shadow Method
1. Stand a stick up in the ground.
2. Mark the tip of the shadow of the stick.
3. Mark it again 15 minutes later.
4. Draw an imaginary line from the first line to the second. The line points east.
The Watch and Learn Method
1. Hold your watch so that the hour hand points directly at the sun.
2. Imagine a line halfway between the hour hand and the 12. That line will be pointing south.
OTHER WAYS TO TELL DIRECTION
• Most moss grows on the north side of trees.
• Spiderwebs are often built on the south side.
• Clouds often travel west to east.
HOW TO SIGNAL FOR HELP
Third Time’s the Charm
A series of three is the universal call for distress. If you have a whistle, blow it three times to call for help. If you have three pieces of bright material (a tent, poncho, tarp, etc.), set them side by side in a clearing so they can be seen by a plane flying by. Three rock piles will work as well.
Steer the Mirror
On sunny days, you can signal for help with a mirror or anything shiny that reflects light.
FIELD GUIDE TO EXTREME FOODS
While on your travels, you are likely to encounter some pretty extreme foods. Know what they’ll taste like before you take a bite with this handy chart.
FOREIGN EMERGENCY PHRASES
Brazil (Portuguese)
Do those fish have teeth?
Aqueles peixes têm dentes?
a-KEH-les PEH-shehs teng DEHN-ch.
Kenya and other parts of Africa (Swahili)
Excuse me, there seems to be a large lion behind me.
Kubwa simba nyuma mimi.
CUB-wuh SIHM-buh NYOO-muh ME-ME.
Norway (Norwegian)
I’m sure that ice is safe to walk on.
Jeg er sikker på at den isen er trygg å gå på.
Yay ehr SEEK-er poh at dehn EE-sen ehr treeg oh goh poh.
Indonesia (Indonesian)
Look out! There’s an orangutan behind that tree—maybe he wants your banana!
Awas! Ada orangutan* di belakang pohon itu—mungkin dia mau pisang kamu!
Ah-WAHS! Ah-dah ore-AHNG-oo-tahn dee beh-LAH-kahng poe-hone EE-too—MOONG-kin DEE-ah mao PEE-song KAH-moo!
*The Indonesian word orangutan means “person of the forest” (orang = person; hutan = forest).
About the Experts
These experts reviewed all the tips in this handbook and offered their extremely good advice. Consider them the coaches of Team Extreme!
“Mountain Mel” Deweese has more than 30 years of worldwide experience teaching survival skills. His work has spanned the globe, from the Arctic to the tropics, and he has dealt with animals of all sorts. He has shared wilderness survival skill knowledge with more than 100,000 students around the world and continues to do so through his Web site, www.youwillsurvive.com.
John Lindner is the director of the “Wilderness Survival School” for The Colorado Mountain Club, and he runs the “Snow Survival School” for Safety-One International, Inc. A former instructor for Denver Public Schools and the Community College of Denver, John has taught mountaineering and survival training for almost 30 years.
Charles Maciejewski has a degree in Adventure Education and has worked at Outward Bound, the Bronx Expeditionary Learning High School, and the Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School. He has planned numerous urban and wilderness expeditions with students and trained teachers on doing work in nature. He loves the natural world, cycling, and snowboarding.
About the Authors
David Borgenicht is a writer, editor, publisher, and the coauthor of all the books in the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series. He has been known to float on quicksand, over-pack while on safari, and employ “the standard squat” (see page 48). He lives in Philadelphia.
Justin Heimberg defines the word extreme. He is extremely cautious and wary. He is an extreme sleeper and an extreme television watcher. On the rare occasion when Justin is not being extreme, he writes books and films. He lives in an extreme suburb in Maryland.
About the Illustrator
Chuck Gonzales is a New York City–based illustrator who was raised in South Dakota. He’s no stranger to worst cases, having illustrated The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Junior Edition. Growing up in the Dakotas, he is very familiar with surviving on the tundra.
Extreme Junior Edition Page 5