Animal Attacks: How to Best Defend Yourself if a Dog, Bear, or These Five Other Animals Attack You
by www.SixWise.com
Although rare, animal attacks on humans do occur, and with
increasing numbers of people encroaching on wilderness areas,
either to visit or to stay for good, wild animal attacks appear
to be on the rise.
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If a bear attacks you, your best chance is to play
dead. Not so with sharks, crocodile and mountain lions,
when you're better off fighting back.
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In most cases, seeing an animal in the wild is a chance to
view a part of nature, and a harmless one at that. But should
an animal ever attack you, it's imperative to know how to
react.
If You're Attacked By A ...
1. Dog
Dogs
bite more than 4.7 million people every year, according
to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
and one out of every six bites requires medical attention.
If a dog approaches that you think might attack, here's how
to make yourself seem like less of a threat:
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Don't scream or run
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Stay completely still with your arms at your sides
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Avoid eye contact with the dog
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When the dog loses interest, slowly back away
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In the event the dog does attack, proceed to the steps
below
If a Dog Attacks You ...
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The Number One Rule: NEVER RUN (you cannot outrun a dog,
and their instinct will be to catch you)
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If you are knocked to the ground, curl into a ball and
put your hands over your ears
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Lie face down, protect your face with your arms
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Remain motionless and try not to scream or roll around
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Stay standing if possible and turn your body sideways
with your arms at your sides
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Try to "feed" the dog your jacket, clothes,
purse or any other item you can reach
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Stay motionless and, again, don't run
2. Bear
If you live in or are visiting a region known to have bears,
never leave food unattended or in areas that the bears can
access.
If a bear approaches you, stay still (they can outrun humans
and climb trees). If the bear attacks, lie face down on your
stomach and play dead until the bear goes away. Then, leave
the area.
3. Moose
"People may not be aware of how aggressive moose can
be in the wild, especially with new-born calves," said
Kevin Frey, a grizzly bear management specialist with Montana
Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Moose are large, unpredictable and easily surprised, so you
should keep your distance if possible. In the event you're
cornered by an aggressive moose, Game Warden Kevin Nichols
says climbing a tree or getting behind a tree or large rock
is a good idea, or, if that's not an option, backing up slowly
while keeping your eyes on the animal -- but not making eye
contact (this could be construed as a challenge, and you'll
likely lose that challenge.)
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If a dog attacks you, the number one rule is NEVER
RUN.
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4. Snake
The United States is home to several poisonous snakes, including:
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American Copperhead
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Bushmaster
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Coral snake
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Cottonmouth
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Fer-de-lance
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Rattlesnake
Snakes will typically flee if a person approaches them, but
in the event that they're startled (an easy thing to do since
snakes are often camouflaged in their environment) they may
become aggressive and attack. They may also attack if they
feel cornered or are guarding a nest.
"When you see a snake, you should immediately stand
as still possible. Try to identify the snake and to determine
if it is venomous or not. Do not attempt to touch or move
the snake," says Ian du Plessis, the chief herpetologist
at the Johannesburg Zoo. "However, be very careful and
keep exposed areas of your body like your eyes covered as
much as possible, as some snakes spit out their venom, while
others can attack from up to seven meters away."
If you are attacked by a snake, Du Plessis says you should
not move, try to remain calm, put pressure on the open wound
and use your cellphone to call for help.
"If you are attacked by a poisonous snake, do not attempt
to drive as you will feel dizzy," he warns. "Try
to identify the snake so that you can explain to a doctor
or paramedic what it looks like so that they know exactly
which anti-venom to administer. Under no circumstances should
you attempt to catch the snake as it will surely strike again."
5. Crocodile
Crocodile attacks, though rare, do happen. Ideally, you should
avoid boating or entering an area where crocs live, but in
the event you are attacked, stay on land if possible, as crocodiles
can swim faster and longer than you can.
Then, hit the animal on the nose (which is a sensitive area),
poke it in the eyes and make a lot of noise (they don't like
loud noise). Fight back as much as you can, and if the crocodile
starts to roll, move in the same direction, or your limb could
be torn off. If all of your fighting seems futile, you can
try playing dead.
A crocodile will fight with prey until it's dead, so it may
then release its grip. If this happens, run away from the
crocodile in a straight line. They do not like to chase prey,
so they will likely give up.
6. Shark
Your odds of being attacked by a shark are just 1 in 11.5
million, says the International Shark Attack File, still,
if you see a shark the best thing to do is stay calm and swim
quickly, but smoothly, back to the shore or surface.
If the shark actually attacks, you should first try to hit
it on the tip of its nose (use whatever you have with you
-- a spear or camera if you're diving, a surfboard, or your
own fist). The shark should go away long enough for you to
calmly, but quickly, swim away (Discomforting side note: If
you can't get away, and the shark comes back, hitting it on
the nose will become less and less effective).
If the shark bites and you're stuck in its mouth, be as aggressive
as you can. Go for the sensitive areas of the eyes and gill
openings and hit the shark, hard. Don't "play dead,"
as this won't help. As soon as the shark releases, get out
of the water as quickly as you can (don't hang around because
once there's blood in the water, the shark will likely come
back to attack again).
7. Mountain Lion
Sightings of mountain lions have increased significantly
in recent years, but actual attacks are still very rare. According
to the California Department of Fish and Game, if you encounter
a mountain lion:
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KEEP CHILDREN CLOSE TO YOU: Observations of captured
wild mountain lions reveal that the animals seem especially
drawn to children.
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DO NOT APPROACH A LION: Most mountain lions will try
to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
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DO NOT RUN FROM A LION: Running may stimulate a mountain
lion's instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the
animal. Make eye contact. If there are small children
there, pick them up if possible so they don't panic and
run. Although it may be awkward, pick them up without
bending over or turning away from the mountain lion.
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DO NOT CROUCH DOWN OR BEND OVER: In Nepal, a researcher
studying tigers and leopards watched the big cats kill
cattle and domestic water buffalo while ignoring humans
standing nearby. He surmised that a human standing up
is just not the right shape for a cat's prey. On the other
hand, a person squatting or bending over looks a lot like
a four-legged prey animal. When in mountain lion country,
avoid squatting, crouching or bending over, even when
picking up children.
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APPEAR LARGER: Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you
are wearing one. Again, pick up small children. Throw
stones, branches, or whatever you can reach without crouching
or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak
firmly in a loud voice. The idea is to convince the mountain
lion that you are not prey and that you may be a danger
to it.
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FIGHT BACK IF ATTACKED: Many potential victims have fought
back successfully with rocks, sticks, caps, jackets, garden
tools and their bare hands. Since a mountain lion usually
tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing
and face the attacking animal.
Recommended Reading
The
Six Most Feared but Least Likely Causes of Death
The
Dangers of Typical Neighborhood Animals You Don't Think of
as Dangerous
Sources
MassWildlife
University
of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
California
Department of Fish and Game