How to Survive Animal Attacks

Surviving an animal attack often has less to do with luck than with being well prepared. Keeping cool under severe pressure is critical to surviving any attack. Being prepared is the difference between making the right moves and being a victim. If you're going out in the wild study up and have a thorough knowledge of the potentially dangerous animals around and learn how to deal with a dog attack.

Things You'll Need

  • Local animal information
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Instructions

  1. Bear Attacks

    • 1

      Carry bear spray any time you go hiking through bear country. Bear spray is mace for bears, and when used correctly is a better defense than guns, according to a study conducted by Brigham Young University.

    • 2

      Spray a cloud of bear spray between you and the bear, creating a cloud that the bear charges into.

    • 3

      If you don't have bear spray, stand your ground. Running will make bears chase you, while standing your ground might be enough to convince them to run away.

    • 4

      If the bear charges, hit the ground and cover your neck and head. Playing dead convinces the bear you're not a threat and normally the bear will wander off.

    • 5

      Play dead a minimum of 20 minutes. Some bears will stick around to make sure you don't get back up, so give them plenty of time to wander off.

    Surviving a Cougar Attack

    • 6

      Make yourself as big as possible. Cougars are ambush predators and don't want a fair fight. Making yourself big or waving your jacket normally may be enough to avoid confrontation.

    • 7

      Fight back if the cougar attacks. Stand tall and punch, kick, scream, throw rocks and swing branches. Do whatever it takes to beat off a cougar.

    • 8

      Remain vigilant and wary. Even if the mountain lion backs off, if you're wounded it might try to stay close and look for a chance to ambush you again.

    • 9

      Make noise, be aware of your surroundings and if you catch a glimpse of the cougar following you, throw rocks.

    Killer Bee Attack

    • 10

      Immediately leave an area when you hear loud and aggressive buzzing from a swarm or hive.

    • 11

      Sprint in the direction you came from. While Africanized bees are known for being aggressive, many studies show they only tend to follow an intruder that's within 150 to 200 yards of their hive. Some individual bees might follow further, but the swarming effect ends after 200 yards.

    • 12

      Resist the temptation to swat. This not only slows you down, but can stir up the bees around you to become angrier and pursue you further.

    • 13

      Seek immediate medical attention after an attack from a bee swarm.

    Dog Attacks

    • 14

      Immediately cover your neck. This is the easiest way for a dog to do serious damage or even kill you. Protecting your neck is essential.

    • 15

      Fight back. Go for the eyes, or if you have a stick jam it down the dog's throat. Causing it to choke will be much more effective than just hitting the attacking dog.

    • 16

      If the dog clamps on to your arm, don't pull your arm away. This will only tear your arm. Attack the eyes or neck.

    • 17

      Keep attacking the dog's most sensitive areas until it lets go, then back away without turning around.

    • 18

      Grab anything you can to use as a weapon, kll the dog if you absolutely must. You priority is survival.