1. Finding Water in the Wild
In the summer of 1980, the renowned scientist Peng Jiamu went missing while conducting research in the Lop Nur region of Xinjiang during a wilderness water search.
We know that life cannot exist without water—all living things depend on it, and all organisms contain water. A person can typically survive around 20 days without food, but cannot live even three days without water. When looking for a water source, flowing water is the most ideal. Below are some methods for finding water in the wild:
(1) Finding Water on an Island
On the windward side of an island, there is often both water and food to be found. Freshwater can also be found in caves within rocks. To dig a “well” along the coast, the pit should be dug in a safe area above the tide line, deep enough for water to gather at the bottom. Scoop off the surface water and wait for it to settle before using the clearer water on top—boiling it will make it even safer.
(2) Extracting Water from Plants
The green nuts of many plants can quickly quench thirst due to their sour taste. Yellow bamboo nodes, roots of coastal shrubs, and tender plants about 15–20 cm tall also contain water.
(3) Extracting Water from Animals
Water makes up 50%–80% of a fish’s body weight. Just 3 kg of fish per day can meet an adult's daily freshwater needs. The method is to cut the fish into small pieces or make cross-shaped cuts on the fish’s back, then squeeze out the water; or remove the internal organs of a larger fish and drink the juices that flow out.
(4) Condensing Water
If drifting at sea, you can set up a “rain shelter” on the boat. Water vapor in the air will rise to the top of the shelter, cool down, and form water droplets that collect at the bottom. These can be gathered for emergency use. Select sturdy, leafy branches, cover them with a plastic bag with the opening facing upwards and one corner angled downwards to collect condensed water. Alternatively, place freshly cut plant branches and leaves in a large plastic bag—condensed water will form as temperatures rise. In the desert, choose damp areas and use solar heat to distill water (Figure 10-1), collecting around 50 mL over 24 hours. Seawater and urine can also be made drinkable through distillation.
(5) Methods for Finding and Purifying Water
Water can be found upstream in rivers; follow the flight direction of birds; look under dried riverbeds; check the lowest outer edge of river bends; search near lush vegetation at the base of mountains; seek springs in valley bottoms and at the foot of slopes; track human or animal footprints to find water (for example, bees rarely fly more than 6.5 km from their hive, and most insects stay within a 90-meter radius of water sources). To purify water, boil it, add a pinch of salt, or household bleach or water purification tablets (1–2 tablets), shake well, and let it settle for half an hour before drinking.
In severely water-scarce environments, reduce consumption and movement. For example, speak less, don’t smoke, avoid breathing face-to-face with others, and don’t lick your lips. Apply lip balm or animal fat, or keep a small pebble or coin in your mouth to relieve the sensation of thirst. You can also dig a hole in the sand and bury yourself up to your neck to block radiant heat that causes water loss from your body. Pile the excavated sand around the hole to create shade.
Note: Even in desperate situations when extremely thirsty, do not drink alcohol (referred to as “tiger’s milk” by some Africans).
2. Finding Food in the Wild
(1) Plant-Based Foods
Do not rely long-term on a single plant as a food source, nor assume that plants eaten by birds, mammals, or insects are necessarily safe for humans.
1) Testing Plants: Test only one type of plant at a time. If discomfort occurs, induce vomiting using charcoal ash. Smell the plant—if it has a bitter almond or peach bark scent, discard it. Squeeze juice from the plant and apply it to the inner forearm between the elbow and armpit; if irritation occurs, discard it. If no reaction, touch it to your lips, tongue, or chew a small piece. Again, if any discomfort arises, discard it. If still no issues, swallow a small piece and wait several hours. If no adverse reaction occurs, the plant can be considered safe to eat.
2) Gathering Plants: Use clean empty bags or baskets to gather light green young shoots, bulbs, tubers, fallen fruits, etc. Avoid plants with milky or milky-like sap; bright red berries; berries divided into five segments; plants with tiny thorns on stems or leaves; yellowing leaves; or mature ferns.
3) Identifying Edible Plants: Examples include dandelions, nettles, and plantains in temperate regions; palms, wild figs, and bamboo in tropical and subtropical zones; cacti and prickly pears in deserts; spruce, Arctic willow, and lichens in polar regions; kelp and nori in coastal areas—all are edible.
Other edible plants include the inner bark of certain trees, tree gums and resins from specific species, sap from birch and maple trees, as well as certain fungi, desert plants, tropical plants, coastal plants, and seaweed.
Note: Some plants are toxic. For example, skin contact with certain plants may cause irritation or rashes—wash immediately with clean water. Avoid mistakenly eating poisonous plants—for instance, mistaking deadly hemlock for wild lilies or onions can be fatal.
(2) Animal-Based Foods
All animals can potentially serve as a food source. Some animals (like insects) require almost no special skills to catch, but most need to be trapped or hunted. Therefore, it's important to understand some characteristics of animals, their habits, and capture methods—but avoid unnecessary killing.
Tender and flavorful meat with good quantity comes from adult female animals. The younger the animal, the leaner the meat; the older the animal, the more fat and tougher the meat.
1) Understanding Patterns: Most mammals are active in the early morning and evening. During the day, only large predators and birds are on the move. Large herbivores forage all day, while small animals feed and move frequently—making them suitable for trapping.
2) Animal Tracks: Early in the morning, pay attention to animal tracks on the ground. If dew or spider webs have been disturbed or broken, it indicates that the animal passed within the past few hours. Some animals (like rabbits) have a small range of movement—if you find their tracks, they are likely nearby. Certain animals create paths through bushes, and the size of these paths can give an idea of the animal’s body size.
3) Gnawing Marks: For example, deer in summer leave long, strip-shaped bark marks, while in winter they create vertical tooth marks or scars. Rabbits leave smooth-edged bark gnaw marks. Sheep chew bark unevenly, leaving slanted tooth impressions. Rodents usually gnaw at the base of tree stems. If you find scattered wood chips on the ground, squirrels might have a den in the tree—but if you also see nuts or pinecones scattered around, birds may be the culprits. A pile of empty shells on the ground may indicate a rodent burrow nearby.
4) Droppings: Mammal feces often have a strong odor. Herbivores (such as cows, deer, and rabbits) produce droppings that are roughly round, similar to horse manure—these and bird droppings are relatively small, with fresh ones being semi-liquid. Carnivorous animals (like dogs and foxes) leave long, narrow droppings, and their bird counterparts produce pellet-like droppings that may contain undigested remains of small animals. Loose bird droppings suggest a water source nearby. A concentration of bird droppings on the ground may indicate a nearby nest.
5) Mounds of Dug-up Soil: For instance, wild boars may overturn large patches of earth. The passage of larger animals often leaves noticeably damp, loose soil. Squirrels digging for plant roots may leave small surface scratch marks.
6) Setting Traps: (Omitted.)
3. Foraging at Sea
At sea, fish are among the easiest food sources to obtain, but don’t take unnecessary risks. For example, in the American seaside town of Amity, a popular tourist destination, a great white shark killed a young woman and later a boy. Ichthyologist Hooper also lost his life due to over-reliance on a shark-proof cage. Someone later sought revenge and was also killed by the same shark.
(1) Fishing
The first method is angling. Tie your fishing line to the boat’s stern and let the boat drag it until a fish bites. Drifters who can’t find real bait often use strips of cloth as fake lures to attract fish. If you suddenly feel the fishing line go taut or form a right angle with the boat, it means a fish has bitten. When you catch a large fish, as you pull it into the boat, quickly jump on it, pin it down, and deliver a fatal blow as soon as possible. The second method is spearfishing, which requires special training.
(2) Catching Sea Turtles
Sea turtles are very sensitive to sound and extremely strong. Make a noose with a slipknot to trap the turtle’s head. If you don’t have a noose, work together to grab the turtle’s flippers—never its head.
(3) Catching Birds
The first method is catching them by hand, which requires quick reflexes. The second is breaking a bird’s wing with a bamboo pole. The third involves using a long pole to hit birds (gently sway the pole to lure the bird to fly lower and closer, then strike).
(4) Surviving on a Deserted Island
When the tide recedes, look under the thin layer of sand on the beach for oysters and clams. At night, use dead fish as bait tied to a rope with a weight, and throw it into the water. When you feel resistance while pulling it up, retrieve it quickly. Once you’ve caught lobsters or crabs, stun them before handling—avoid grabbing their sharp claws. Boil them for 15 minutes before eating. Most shellfish can be eaten raw, but boiling makes them safer. Along the beach, follow parallel turtle tracks to find turtle eggs. To catch a sea turtle, flip it onto its back, then use a knife or stick to pry out the meat. Remove the hard shell and internal organs, and cook or roast the meat before eating. On rocks and tropical reefs, you can find sea cucumbers—their five long, white meat strips can be peeled off and boiled. Look for caves and rocks touched by seawater, where sun-dried salt may be found. Dissolve and filter it for consumption.
4. Foraging in the Desert
Cut excess game meat into slices about 2 cm thick and several centimeters wide, then hang them in the sun to dry for 2–3 days until completely dehydrated. This allows for long-term storage. Alternatively, slice the meat thin, dry it, and bury it in dry, hot sand without using salt—it can also be preserved for a long time. Another option is to build a rack over a low fire and smoke the meat slices.
Note: Do not eat mammals that show signs of disease, and avoid consuming animal organs such as the liver.