Getting lost in the woods...and surviving

Five tips if you get lost

No one plans to get lost, but it can happen; yes, it can even in these days of mobiles and Google maps.  We hear of people getting lost in forests without food or water but surviving for many days.  But how?  By eating lizards, squirrels, insects? We’re not saying that you need to practice your hunting skills, but the point is –  you must do what you have to do and survice. Most people would.

Whenever you enter the wilderness there are precautions you should take to make sure you’re prepared for anything.
These tips will get you started.

1) Plan for Your Situation

Every situation is different and should be treated as such. If you’re hiking in an area with unpredictable weather patterns, plan for warm and cool clothing. If you’re going hiking during the summer, pack plenty of water and wear light colored clothing. If you’re trekking into the wild by yourself, let a friend or family member know where you’re going, and when you plan on returning.

2) Know Where You Are

Study a map of the area or bring one with you. Being able to identify landmarks or waterways could save you in the event you get lost. Always carry a compass so you can triangulate your position.

3) Don’t Panic

The natural reaction is to panic when we are unsure of our surroundings. Panicking can waste crucial energy and affect your state of mind. Use the acronym STOP to regain your composure and get in the right mental state.

S = Sit Down
T = Think About The Situation
O = Observe Your Surroundings
P = Prepare for Survival by Gathering Materials

4) Call For Help

If you’re out hunting, firing your weapon can direct attention towards you and hopefully lead to your rescue. Unfortunately, most people aren’t carrying when they’re out hiking or camping.  A great alternative is a whistle, which studies have shown to be the least cost and most effective way of getting attention.

5) Be Prepared

Having a whistle is just one of many survival tools that can help you in a dire situation. A water filtration straw can help you drink safely from a river or stream, and a fire striker can easily assist you in getting a heat source going. But If you ask any survival enthusiast, they would probably tell you their knife is the most important. And for good reason. A survival knife can be used for:

Cutting/Slicing
Digging
Splitting
Self-Defense
First Aid Tool
Food Prep
Shelter Building
Fire Making
Hunting Weapon
Prying Tool
Signaling
Hammering
Make-Shift Screwdriver

Tips courtesy @ SurvivalKit.com Blog

Your questions on volunteering.....answered

Read the transcript of IWC monthly online chat moderated by Jayant Kulkarni.    The Executive Director of WRCS answers all your queries.  

http://indianwildlifeclub.com/chat/chat-archive.aspx?cid=109

Meeting Melghat: A volunteer's account Part 2

One evening, as I attempted to photograph a shikra in an open patch of the forest, Ankosh, the guard I was accompanying, suddenly drove my attention to a drab grayish brown bird, perched high in a tree about 100 meters from where we stood. It was just another noisy jungle babbler, I thought. Why was he so exited about this particular babbler when the trees around us were full of them? “Alarm call”, he said. “There is a predator nearby.” Instantly forgetting the shikra, we silently inched forward in the direction of the tree. Crouch - stand - bend - crouch - was the pattern we followed till we stopped at the edge of the open patch. Directly ahead was thick vegetation, making it impossible for us to see what was troubling the bird. To avoid making any sound, we stayed in our crouched positions. The babbler had stopped calling by now, and after a few eerily quiet moments, Ankosh, having decided that the animal has slipped away, stood up. SNAP, the sound of a branch breaking startled us. We quickly scanned the trees ahead, but the leopard was gone.

Morning light bathes the path frequented by a leopard

The narrow winding road that bridges Melghat to the outside world 

A stroll on the road that connects the villages alongside the reserve revealed some of Melghat’s avian citizens. I heard a company of loud alexandrine parakeets long before I saw them fly overhead. A crested serpent eagle, looking stoic and majestic as only eagles can, perched long enough for me to photograph it, before swooping away effortlessly. My time at the reserve was almost at an end, and in a land I hoped to glimpse the tiger, it was birds like the white naped woodpecker, rufous treepie, shikra, and white throated kingfisher that kept me fascinated.

A jungle babbler eyeing me suspiciously

Crested serpent eagle

The sun finally managed to break through the clouds on the morning of my departure. Seeing an opportunity, I made my way to the stream. To say that bathing in a cold water under a hot sun while listening to birdsong is relaxing would be a chronic understatement. After a leisure bath, just as I was getting ready to return to camp, I felt a drizzle on my face and shoulders. Fully expecting to see the sun disappear behind another set of rain clouds, I looked up. On the topmost branches of a tree I was standing under, squatted a troop of gray langurs, peering down at me with a bland expression on their coal black faces. I knew now what that drizzle was. I fondly try and think of it as their way of saying goodbye.

Meeting Melghat: A volunteer's account Part 1

A stream gushed through the teak dominated forest that surrounded the camp, running on its stony bed till it formed a waterfall so loud, it could drown a person’s thoughts out. As I lay listening to this watery soundtrack - occasionally broken by the Forest guard’s snores, some over enthusiastic crickets, and a large rat hunting for a snack - I wondered about the wild inhabitants of this stunning Maharashtrian forest, lurking about in the dark, unaware of the strange human who had tried his luck at spotting some of them.

Waterfall, as seen from the watchtower at '0 point'

The stream greeted me when I first arrived at Bori Ghogara, a camp which sits on the border of Melghat Tiger Reserve. The trusty Mahindra Marshall which drove me here could not risk the crossing. So I, with my bags of vegetables, clothes and camera gear, crossed on foot with as much grace as a blindfolded tightrope walker.

Meeting of the Ghats - Hills as far as the eye can see

After introductions with the camp’s staff, I wandered back outside to get a proper look at the ruggedly hilly central Indian landscape I was in. The first thing any visitor to Melghat in the Monsoons will notice is the thick blanket of green that drapes them. The grass bordering the trails, the broad leaves of trees, the moss in the hollows of trunks, even the walls of the camp come in every imaginable shade of green. In the coming months, as summer approaches, this tropical dry deciduous forest will shed most of its green and turn golden brown, bearing very little resemblance to the scene I was witnessing.

Gunjan, out patrolling in his camouflaged outfit on a rainy day 

Over the next eight days, I assisted the Forest guard and his troops on their daily patrols in the forest, documenting what I saw, and observing the excellent tracking and identification skills on display by the mostly tribal staff. The rain, which was unrelenting, made our progress slow. Yet we walked, past rising streams and down slippery slopes, with stomachs stuffed with so much food (a heavy breakfast cum lunch to get us through the day) that the simple act of bending to examine a hoof or paw-print turned into a clumsy affair. 

Paw-prints of a mother leopard and her cub

The creatures of Melghat rarely, if ever, showed themselves. But a leopard and her cub, a lone sloth bear, wild pigs, and an occasional munjtac would all leave their fresh and unmistakable impressions in the soft, wet mud of the forest floor. During the patrols, I remember the feeling of being acutely aware that I was not alone, for even if the animals could not be seen, I knew they were in the vicinity, perfectly hidden behind a veil of green that the forest provided.

Continued in Part 2

Frequently Asked Questions about volunteering at Melghat

FAQ on Volunteering

1. Question: I wanted to apply for volunteering in the pilot project. I am currently employed, and would like to know the format of the certificate you would like from my company.

Answer:  .We need a simple letter from your employer stating that you are employed with the company or organization and stating your designation. The letter should be on company letterhead and signed by your employer or a responsible person.


2. Question: I am shocked to hear that single women are not accepted for the WCRS programmes. It is discrimination, and implies that women are not capable of caring enough for the programme. I am deeply interested in the programme and would like to participate in the same. I can adjust with other groups, I am very strong and capable of hard work. I really hope you do away with the conservative ideology which sends wrong signals.

Answer:  " I am glad to know that you are keen to participate in wildlife conservation programs. With respect to our program please understand that there there is no intention to discriminate against women. We know fully well that many women are passionate about wildlife conservation and we would like to encourage them. The only reason for not accepting single women is safety of the participants. The protection camps of the Forest Department are located at remote places and manned by male forest staff and labourers. Hence we are unable to take responsibility for safety of single women. We are willing to accept women provided they are in a group of at least two or accompanied by a male companion. I hope you understand the rationale behind this decision. We place women volunteers in camps with relatively better facilities and closer to the Range headquarters. We would be glad to include you in the program if you can apply together with one or more companions."
Jayant Kulkarni
Executive Director, Conservation

Wildlife Research and Conservation Society

3. Question Is there a last date for applying?

Answer There is no last date for volunteering.   It is an ongoing program

Volunteer to patrol Melghat Tiger Reserve

Forest Patrolling at Melghat Tiger Reserve 

Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) is located in Amravati District of Maharashtra and is an important protected area for tiger conservation. The field staff of the tiger reserve patrols the forests regularly for protection of wildlife. Considering the vast area to be patrolled additional manpower from civil society will help to strengthen protection and enhance the status of wildlife in MTR. With this objective Wildlife Research and Conservation Society (WRCS) is implementing a pilot program for volunteer participation in patrolling activities in MTR in collaboration with the tiger reserve authorities for protection of wildlife and forests. Participation in the program will give volunteers an opportunity to witness the forests and wildlife at close quarters and contribute to wildlife conservation. Batches are sent every Sunday, it's a 1 week volunteer program, you are welcome to stay for more than 1 week.

This project is open to Indian Nationals only. 

Want to know more?   Click on the link below

http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/Volunteer/Melghat/beAVolunteer.aspx