Top 10 dangerous mammals of the middle lane. Animals in danger

Numerous species are currently endangered. Most of these animals are directly or indirectly on the verge of extinction due to human activities: climate change, destruction of their habitat, illegal hunting.

List of 10 critical species

1 Javan Rhino

In danger of extinction due to his horn, used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a decoration. Only 29 of these animals remain on the island of Java, Indonesia (2012 census).

2. Snow leopard

This species is in danger of extinction due to the invasion of its habitat by humans: the countries where it disappeared - China, Pakistan, India, Nepal. Saved his life isolated conditions - the Himalayas. Their number is less than 5 thousand. These felines can live at altitudes of more than 6000 m.

3. Tiger

Its population has decreased by more than 60% due to human encroachment on its habitat and, again, poaching (according to the recommendations of oriental medicine). The largest felines on the planet once roamed freely from Turkey to Russia. Currently, the subspecies has disappeared in the Caspian Sea region, about. Java, southern China and Bali.

4. Red tuna

In serious danger of extinction. Currently, measures are being taken to limit its fishing, as the sushi boom has targeted this fish as a delicacy. Overfishing has reduced its population by 85%. AT last years, this species is under threat, and yet there were so many of them in the 60s.

5. Asian elephant

Mostly endangered due to deforestation of their habitat and poaching to obtain the valuable ivory of their tusks. Currently trading Ivory banned, but still practiced on the black market.

6. Vaquita pig

She lives in the Gulf of Mexico, and in 2012 there were 200 of these small, beautiful guinea pigs. Their Habitat is very small and fishing with nets threatens the extinction of this species which DOES NOT EXIST anywhere else on the planet.

7 Mountain Gorillas

The lowland gorilla is safe. But HIS mountain cousin Ould may be completely gone by 2025. A critical SITUATION affects several populations around the Congo River: Rwanda, Uganda, Congo. The reasons? The disappearance of its habitat is caused by the ogging company and poaching. More than 190 nature protection parks have been destroyed. AT national park Virunga, where most of these animals live, is being fought for their conservation.

8. Ayeyarwaddy river dolphin

Sole resident fresh water in South and Southeast Asia - concentrated in the Mekong (Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos). They die due to high salinity in the water, within a short span of the life of their offspring: the reason is the pollution in the area and the methods used to breed the famous pangu fish. In 2011, only 85 of these animals remained.

9. Sumatran orangutan

Hunting and selling as pets and the destruction of large palm trees due to the development of the oil industry are the Causes of the critical SITUATION. People consider the orangutan as an enemy of their cultures and kill them without mercy. Indonesia has lost more than half of its rainforest over the past 50 years in favor of agricultural plantations. These monkeys remained only in Borneo and Sumatra.

10. Baulan turtle

View sea ​​turtles, which is in serious danger of extinction along with leatherback turtles. ALTHOUGH they are increasingly attracting tourism, but fishing, accidental pollution of the water and hunting for shells, meat or eggs - almost destroyed these animals. After 150 million years of their existence on the planet, they will not be able to survive due to the human effect.

Many species are endangered: whales, some species of sharks, polar bears. Only ambitious plans can protect and save these fascinating species.

Being in nature, it is impossible not to meet its inhabitants on your way - animals and birds, or at least traces of their recent stay here. Learning to distinguish the traces of various animals is necessary not only for the hunter, but also for any tourist and traveler. This skill can save your life twice. In the first case - if, due to a lack of provisions, you have to hunt. In the second, the ability to recognize traces and knowledge of the habits of animals can warn against meeting them. The owners of the forest - wild animals may not be happy at all uninvited guests. But not all animals are harmless ...

Wild animals: who is better not to meet

It should be noted that not all animals can be hunted if you do not have at least some firearms. Such large animals and predators as wolf , bear , elk , wolverine , boar are out of your reach without weapons. Well, unless you come across an old and sick animal, and you finish it off with a knife.

To avoid such an unpleasant meeting with strong and healthy representatives of the fauna, you should know a few things about their habits and the tracks left by certain wild animals.

First of all, you should pay attention to the so-called paths - the trajectory of the constant movement of animals. This is due to the fact that, in part, each individual, flock or herd lives in a certain territory, carefully guards it and moves along a known route for hunting. Therefore, you should stay away from these paths.

Wolf

The interval of movement for each animal is individual. Wolves, for example, are very mobile and run along their path quite often. More active at night. During the warm period sedentary life in a den, roam in winter. The lair is arranged in cozy dry places in ditches, under the roots of trees, less often in burrows. The tracks of a wolf resemble the tracks of dogs, but differ in shape - they are longer, narrower, and also larger in size; The traces of the front legs are larger than the hind ones. When trotting, they often step "trail to trail", that is, the trail of the hind left paw steps exactly into the trail of the right front. Because of this, the tracks seem to be located on the same line. By the way, foxes do the same, only their footprints are slightly smaller.

Boar

Wild boars move along the trails mainly at night. You can recognize their presence by the characteristic notches from fangs on tree trunks, by long and stiff wool stuck in the bark, and by “plowed” soil, especially near puddles and reservoirs. The tracks of a wild boar are very similar to those of an ordinary pig - slightly oblong, oval hooves, blunted in front. The size of the hoof depends on the size of the animal. These animals are very fast, cunning and ferocious - both males and females. If a boar kills its prey with powerful fangs, then females can simply knock down a person, bite and trample him to death. Also an incredibly ferocious wounded boar. Even wolves and bears do not dare to attack these animals. Plus, boars can swim. So if you still couldn’t avoid meeting them, it’s better to immediately climb a tree, because they also run quite fast (up to 50 km / h).

Elk

Moose trails can be seen mainly near water bodies. These animals sleep little, for several hours - early in the morning and in the afternoon. And although they are quite peaceful and clumsy, you should stay away from them in October-November, when the mating season begins. Traces of stay - serifs from teeth on the bark in the form of oblong stripes. The hoofprints are quite large - they are unlikely to be confused with other forest ungulates. They are narrow, pointed, but at the same time quite wide. At the back there are often processes that leave prints a couple of centimeters behind the hoof mark.

Bear

And if you can escape from the animals listed above by climbing a tree, then this will not work with a bear and a wolverine. threatens great danger, especially if this moment spring period and the beast is hungry. These animals are very cunning and agile, active regardless of the time of day, but if the bear is well fed, it is good-natured enough and may not pay any attention to you. Otherwise, it is unlikely that you will be able to hide ... The tracks of a bear in winter resemble those of a man in felt boots. In the front part, traces of 5 claws are visible, and the setting of the paw - with toes inward - immediately betrays the owner of the traces. In summer, on soft ground, traces of 5 fingers clearly appear. In general, the width of the paw is about 20 centimeters (slightly narrower in females) and resembles the footprint of a flat-footed person.

Wolverine

Wolverine is a fairly small animal that sleeps during daylight hours. However, do not underestimate this predator. Despite its small size, the wolverine is very cunning and strong, just like the bear, it can climb trees. There are cases when a wolverine attacked people by jumping from a tree. Oddly enough, wolverine tracks are similar to those of a bear in size and shape, although these animals have different weight categories. Also, after the stay of the bear and the wolverine, there are long claw marks on tree trunks.

The dwellings of the bear and the wolverine are dens under the roots of trees or in ravines, the “roof” of which is insulated with branches, moss and grass. Wolverines can for a long time do without a home and sleep in the snow, or lay down in the grass.

We will talk about how to recognize traces of small animals and hunt them in.

Ecology

Africa is the second largest continent after Asia. She is washed by the waters mediterranean sea in the north, the Red Sea and Indian Ocean in the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. Africa also includes the island of Madagascar and many smaller islands and archipelagos.

As for the biodiversity of this amazing continent, it boasts a fairly large number unique species animals and plants, despite the fact that most of it is occupied by the almost lifeless Sahara desert. There are about 3 thousand reserves in Africa, including 198 marine protected areas, 50 biosphere reserves, 80 reserves in humid areas.

Destruction environment human activities and overpopulation in some areas are the main factors that adversely affect African biodiversity. We invite you to learn about 10 animals that are in serious danger in Africa.

1) Bush elephant

Savannah elephant (lat. Loxodonta Africana) is one of the species of the genus African elephants, living, as the name implies, in the African savannas. It can be found in the eastern, southern and West Africa. Populations today number from 470 to 690 thousand individuals and fall into the section of the Red Book as a vulnerable species. Elephants are hunted for valuable ivory and meat, and are threatened by loss of natural habitats.

2) Spectacled Penguin

This type of penguin, which is called the spectacled or donkey penguin (lat. Spheniscus demersus) lives off the coast of South Africa. In 1910, the population of this species numbered about 1.5 million individuals, when, by the end of the 20th century, no more than 10 percent of this number remained. The numbers of donkey penguins that breed in Namibia and South Africa have fallen by 95 percent compared to the pre-industry period in those countries. These pretty birds are threatened by several things including commercial fishing and oil spills. To date, there are only 72 thousand donkey penguins.

3) Leo

Leo (lat. panthera leo) appeared in Africa between about 1 million and 800 thousand years ago, and then spread to more northern regions. AT wild nature lions live for about 10-14 years, and in captivity can live over 20 years. While lions have long died out in Europe, they are also in serious danger in Africa due to the fact that they are deliberately poisoned to protect livestock, they lose their natural habitat and they are hunted. Today in Africa there are 20-23 thousand lions, but 50 years ago there were 450 thousand individuals!

4) Cheetah

Another representative of the cat family is the cheetah (lat. Acinonyx jubatus) - is found in most of Africa and even in Asia, although the population of this animal leaves much to be desired. Cheetahs are the fastest land animals in the world, they can reach speeds when running up to 70-75 kilometers per hour, but overcoming short distances, approximately 500 meters. The cheetah is also known for being able to accelerate at an unprecedented speed - in 3 seconds it is able to reach speeds from 0 to 60 kilometers per hour.

Scientists suggest that Africa is the birthplace of the cheetah, where it appeared in the Miocene period (26-7.5 million years ago), and then migrated to Asia. Today, the number of cheetahs reaches approximately 10-15 thousand individuals. Their numbers in Africa have declined by 76 percent compared to the historical population.

5) Black Rhino

Black rhinos (lat. Diceros bicornis) belong to the genus of rhinos, whose homeland is the eastern and central regions of Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Angola. Although this rhinoceros is called black, its skin color can vary from gray to brown. This species of rhinoceros is on the verge of extinction due to the fact that it is hunted for the purpose of obtaining valuable horns, which are composed of keratin. On average, these horns reach 50 centimeters in length, some individuals have much longer horns (up to 1.4 meters). In China, rhinoceros horns are used in alternative medicine. Over the past 60 years, the black rhinoceros population has declined by 90 percent. Today in nature there are about 4180 individuals.

6) Hyena dog

Hyena dog (lat. Lycaon pictus) from the family canids lives in Africa, especially in the savannahs and in areas lightly covered with trees. This beautiful and pretty rare beast there is an unusual color of wool, and its name means "painted wolf". In the old days, about 500 thousand hyena dogs lived in Africa on the territory of 39 countries. Today, there are between 3,000 and 5,000 left in fewer than 25 countries (although they are said to be seen in only 14 countries). Basically, hyena dogs can be found in the eastern and southern parts Africa.

7) Pygmy Hippo

Another creature whose numbers have reached a critical level are pygmy hippos (lat. Hexaprotodon liberiensis or Choeropsis liberiensis). These mammals are found in the forests and swamps of East Africa, they are quite rare nocturnal animals that are very difficult to study in the wild. Hippos are disappearing due to habitat loss, poaching, hunting, natural enemies and wars.

8) Eastern mountain gorilla

Eastern mountain gorilla (lat. Gorilla beringei beringei) is one of the subspecies of the eastern gorillas. Today there are 2 large groups of mountain gorillas left, one of which lives in the forests on the slopes of the Virgunga volcano ( Central Africa), and the other in bwindi national park in Uganda. The gorilla suffers from habitat loss, poaching, the pet trade, and illegal hunting. In the spring of 2010, their number was only 790 individuals.

9) Ethiopian Jackal

Ethiopian jackal (lat. Canis simensis) - a rare species of wolves, whose homeland is also Africa. This jackal lives at an altitude of more than 3 thousand meters above sea level in the mountainous regions of Ethiopia, it is the top predator of its ecosystem. The Ethiopian jackal is the most a rare species families canine, it is not yet extinct in the wild. About 6 large groups of these wolves live in Ethiopia, with a total of 550 individuals. The largest population lives in the Bale Mountains in southern Ethiopia. In 1990, a large number of Ethiopian jackals died due to rabies - a large population of 440 individuals was reduced to 160 animals within 2 weeks.

10) Addax

Addax (lat. Addax nasomaculatus), also known as the medes antelope, is a species and genus of antelopes that are on the verge of extinction and live in the Sahara desert. Both males and females have long twisted horns, and they differ in torsion in 2-3 places. In females, the horns reach a length of 55 to 80 centimeters, in males - 70-85 centimeters. These animals live on average for about 19 years, but in captivity live up to the age of 25 years. According to some estimates, only 500 individuals remain in the wild, most of which live in the state of Niger and western Chad.

Dangerous inhabitants of our forests are ticks.

Attention! The presented materials are general information and cannot replace the qualified consultation of a specialist doctor.

Taiga and European forest tick - giants in comparison with their "peaceful" counterparts, his body is covered with a powerful shell and equipped with four pairs of legs. In females, the integument of the rear part is able to stretch greatly, which allows them to absorb large amounts of blood, hundreds of times more than a hungry tick weighs.
Males are slightly smaller than females and only suck on a short time(less than an hour). To distinguish between a female and a male is very simple - you need to remember how they look. In the surrounding world, ticks are guided mainly by touch and smell; ticks do not have eyes. But the sense of smell of ticks is very acute: studies have shown that ticks are able to smell an animal or a person at a distance of about 10 meters.

Tick ​​habitats. Ticks transmitting encephalitis are distributed almost throughout the southern part of the Eurasian forest zone. Ticks are moisture-loving, and therefore their number is greatest in well-moistened places. Ticks prefer moderately shaded and moist deciduous and mixed forests with dense grass and undergrowth. It is very important to know that ticks concentrate on forest paths and paths overgrown with grass along the roadsides. There are many times more of them here than in the surrounding forest. Studies have shown that ticks are attracted to the smell of animals and people who constantly use these paths when moving through the forest. Some features of the placement and behavior of ticks have led to the widespread misconception in Siberia that ticks "jump" on a person from birch trees. Indeed, in birch forests, as a rule, there are a lot of ticks. A tick attached to clothes crawls up, and it is often found already on the head and shoulders. This creates the false impression that the pincers have fallen from above. You should remember the characteristic landscapes, where in late April - early July the number of ticks is highest and where the risk of infection with tick-borne encephalitis during this period is high: deciduous forests, forests littered with windbreak, ravines, river valleys, meadows.

Infection.As paradoxical as it sounds, the danger of contracting tick-borne encephalitis is an inherent and natural property of our forests. The most important role in maintaining natural foci of infection belongs to small forest animals - voles, mice, shrews, squirrels and chipmunks. The animals themselves are susceptible to infection, the virus multiplies well in their body, but the disease proceeds without visible symptoms. harmful effects. In addition, the virus multiplies in the body of the carrier - the tick. In tick-borne encephalitis virus-infected ticks, the pathogen is able to multiply in many tissues and organs, and very often it is present in the salivary glands. Having stuck to the body of the host (including humans), the tick begins to secrete saliva into the resulting wound. The first portion of saliva hardens in air and forms the so-called "cement secret", firmly gluing the proboscis to the skin. Together with this saliva, the virus enters the body of an animal or a person, and if the dose of the virus is large enough, then a disease can develop. Studies have shown that the "cement secret" mentioned above can contain up to half of the total amount of virus contained in the tick. Therefore, even if you remove the tick almost immediately after it sticks, you can still get infected, in this case, the source of infection will be the "cement" remaining in the skin.

It has also been proven that the infection is transmitted by the bite of males. A short-term and painless bite of a male may not be noticed, especially when the forest is full of mosquitoes and midges. Most likely, quite common cases of tick-borne encephalitis, when patients deny a tick bite, are associated precisely with the attack of males. Where do virus-infected mites come from in nature? The fact is that natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis existed long before the appearance of man in Siberia. It is not known for sure whether the virus was originally associated only with ticks or only with vertebrates. However, in the process of evolution, the virus has adapted to the existence in organisms of both those and others. Although the virus actively multiplies in wild forest animals, they do not show pathological disorders characteristic of human disease. However, those animals that do not collide in their natural environment with this pathogen (for example, house mice or some monkeys that are used as experimental animals in virological studies) get sick in exactly the same way as people.

Use of site materials: Encephalitis. RU

Walk in the woods- it is always a joy from communicating with the world of wildlife, it causes a whole range of sensations and impressions, painted in spring-summer-autumn-winter colors. However, lovers of such trips must know: the forest is, first of all, the most complex complex of relationships between plants, animals, soils, sunlight and night darkness you, air and water.

man in the forest- a guest, and from the point of view of the forest inhabitants - an uninvited and uninvited guest, often not at all knowing the rules of behavior "away". Hence - accidents, emergencies, injuries, fears, legends and myths associated with both exaggeration and understatement of the danger that the forest is fraught with.

Animals living in the forest are a danger to humans. They are very diverse, but it is still possible to formulate several general patterns in their behavior:

1. Animals, especially birds and mammals, are much better adapted to life in the forest than humans. They have more advanced sense organs and are almost always the first to notice a person by smell and sound. Its smell for a wild animal is the strongest signal of danger.

2. One should not exaggerate the widespread opinion about the fearfulness of animals, especially large predators. For some of them, such as the bear and the tiger, a very common behavioral trait is curiosity, which can sometimes turn into unprovoked aggression.

3. Not people, but animals are in the forest on their territory, so they regard the appearance of a person as a typical “violation of the border”, “invasion” with all the ensuing consequences.

4. In the animal world, in contrast to human society, the concepts of "alien" and "enemy", "unknown" and "dangerous" often coincide, so it is at least naive to count on a friendly attitude on the part of forest dwellers.

5. Animals, to a greater extent than people, try to avoid danger: mobile animals go as far as possible from a person, inactive animals use various ways passive or active protection. Forest animals are unsurpassed masters of disguise, they know how to use all sorts of shelters.

6. The behavior of many animals (especially large ungulates and carnivores) changes significantly during certain periods of their life cycle(reproduction, migration, etc.). Animals become much more aggressive, and the danger to humans increases dramatically.

7. Any species, even a widespread species, prefers certain habitats, and here the probability of an accidental meeting with animals of this species is higher.

Remember two fairly simple and accessible rules that will help you avoid many troubles. It is necessary to have an idea about the habits of animals and birds, plus be attentive and careful during forest walks.

Animal emergencies in the forest can be divided into two groups: an active attack, potentially dangerous beast and accidents resulting from the careless (or illiterate) treatment of an animal, which in a normal situation is quite neutral towards a person.

In the main zone of settlement in Russia and Ukraine, situations of the first type are most often associated with large predatory and ungulate animals - a bear, a wolf, a tiger, a lynx, a leopard, an elk, a wild boar, a deer. Attacks that are not provoked by a person are quite rare. For example, a tiger attacks people for no reason in about 4% of all cases. Usually, the beast attacks: in self-defense, while hunting, being caught near prey, when a person carelessly invades its territory, during the mating season (the so-called rut; animals during this period are especially aggressive), protecting offspring, with persistent pursuit under - a wound or simply by a chance meeting with a person, with a sudden close contact "eye to eye".

According to many experts, the most unpredictable large forest predator in terms of behavior is the brown bear. Most of the sudden encounters with this animal end in its swift flight. Nevertheless, cases of unprovoked attacks on a person in the European part of Russia are noted almost every year. Unexpectedly, "go out to the bear", as a rule, pickers of mushrooms, berries and tourists. Sometimes a bear shows aggression and may even chase a person, but then quickly stops the pursuit and runs away. However, much more serious incidents are also known, when the beast literally besieged the hunting lodge - sometimes for almost a week! - and did not let people out of there. Cases of aggression of a bear disturbed in a winter den are quite common. However, such “dates” are easy to avoid, knowing the favorite bearish places in given forest(the bears are quite conservative in choosing the territory for the den) and avoid them as far as possible. A significant danger is fraught with a meeting with a wolf, although this predator will almost always prefer to hide than attack. The well-known Canadian naturalist Farley Mowat remarkably described such a sudden meeting. “... We faced nose to nose. We were separated by some two meters ... We silently stared at each other. I don't know what was going on in his massive skull, but my head was filled with a swarm of unsettling thoughts. The amber eyes of a seasoned tundra wolf stared straight at me; apparently, he was heavier than me and, no doubt, had a much better command of unarmed combat techniques.

For several seconds neither of us moved, we continued to hypnotize each other with our eyes. The wolf broke the spell first. With a jump that would have done honor even to Russian dancers, he soared into the air and took to his heels ... "

In recent years, experts have noted that people encounter wolves in the forest zone more often than before. Fans of forest walks, and especially long-distance routes, should be careful.

Perhaps the most serious danger is a sudden encounter with a wolf or a fox that is sick with rabies. Here the attack is almost guaranteed, and it is almost impossible to avoid it. A sick animal can be recognized by its "dazedness", angry eyes, sharply aggressive behavior, immediate, literally on the move, attack. The animal sometimes seems to spit; there is often foam in the corners of the mouth. These animals are dangerous even when they are already dying and, snarling, cannot move. In no case should you approach them - they may have time to bite, and then a long treatment will be necessary.

Animals with rabies are not found everywhere, and before going to the forest it would be useful to get information from the SES about the foci of the disease. In case of a bite, you should immediately consult a doctor, because only the correct and, most importantly, timely treatment started and carried out guarantees a complete recovery.

In recent years, due to the emergence of numerous holiday villages, another serious problem has arisen - feral dogs that huddle in packs, often large ones. Animals are very aggressive, secretive and cunning (learned from humans). Meeting with a flock is extremely dangerous in the same cases as with other predators. If such dogs fell on you, we advise you to use a peculiar method of protection. Since many of these animals still remember communication with a person, a sharp and imperative shout “no!” often helps.

Wild ungulates common for Russian and Ukain forests- moose, wild boars, deer, roe deer - are much more shy and cautious than predators, and, as a rule, leave a person. However, during the mating season, these animals are characterized by increased excitability and aggressiveness and can pose a significant danger. There are cases when an elk kept a tree “under siege” for hours, on which an unlucky tourist or hunter escaped from an angry elk.

How to avoid an unwanted meeting with a wild beast? Perhaps, the best way- Minimize the risk of collision. Refrain from traveling to areas where predator encounters are common; do not appear in the favorite habitats of dangerous animals. If you still went on a hiking trip, be extremely careful and careful, especially at night. The presence of predators or dangerous ungulates can be indicated by a variety of signs: footprints on the soil, crushed grass and undergrowth, peeled bark on trees, droppings, feeding places, and sometimes the remains of prey. Wolves, the first to smell a person, make specific sounds (snorting, howling, sonorous barking), warning other members of the pack, and especially young animals. Boars during the rut or feeding behave so noisily that it is not so difficult to notice them. Should be avoided animal trails, impenetrable, overgrown with shrubs and cluttered areas of the forest, windbreaks. In such places, there is a high probability of meeting an animal, and besides, it is extremely inconvenient to retreat here. Going into the forest (best not alone), be sure to tell about where you are going to go and when you plan to return.

But what if an unpleasant date still happened? First of all, don't lose your presence of mind! Try not to panic. Experienced hunters it is believed that the animal feels when a person is afraid of him, your fear will only spur aggression, i.e., the instinct of an attack on a weaker opponent may work in the animal. No sudden movements and piercing screams - at least at the first moment, until you are sure that you can really scare the beast in this way, and not attract the beast. However, sometimes the scream actually confuses the animal and even turns it into a stampede. Stories are told about how a man, spreading his arms, ran screaming towards a bear, and he retreated in fear. However, not everyone is capable of such actions!

When meeting a bear or a tiger, you should not turn your back on the beast: he will regard such a pose as proof of your weakness. Naturally, a person tries to escape from danger, but in this case running is only good if you are absolutely sure that you will reach a safer place (for example, a hunting lodge, a tree, a car, etc.) faster than a predator, and it is extremely difficult to do this in forest conditions. It is almost impossible to run away from a bear or a tiger; besides, in all predators, the flight of the prey only warms up the desire to pursue it. Experts, as the best way out of the situation, are advised to freeze in place, and then as calmly as possible, backing away, retreat and, only having retired 10-15 meters, also slowly, sideways retreat. At these moments, it is very important not to provoke the predator to aggressive behavior by excessive courage or, on the contrary, cowardice, not to aggravate the situation, which at the very beginning is rather neutral than frankly dangerous. The experience of unexpected encounters with a tiger shows that in about 80% of cases the animal does not show aggression at the first moment, behaves “cognitively”, does not leave the person, but does not approach him either. A tiger can simply stand still and look in the direction of a stranger, and then retire with dignity.

Experienced people do not advise looking directly into the eyes of a predator for a long time, since such a look (and a person, numb with fear, usually stares at the animal) can be perceived as rivalry and will only spur aggression.

Retreating, you need to carefully monitor the facial expressions of the animal in order to predict its intentions. A bear, for example, has a good "indicator" of a relatively calm state - ears standing upright. If the ears are pressed to the head, the hair on the back of the neck stands on end, the beast shows its teeth, trembles, hunches a little, it means that it is really angry and ready to attack.

When you are faced with large predator nose to nose, remember that there is a certain critical distance, under which the situation will still remain quite neutral and the beast will most likely not dare to attack first, but will only frighten. If the distance is less than critical, then the predator may feel cornered and go ahead, i.e., rush at the person. Therefore, suddenly finding yourself, for example, directly in front of a bear, move a few meters to the side, keeping a critical distance.

While in the forest, it is sometimes worth making your presence known (by voice or in another way), as if warning the animals and giving them the opportunity to leave. In general, if a person is not on the hunt, the most correct thing for him is to go noisily, speak loudly or hum. But here exclusively dangerous predator, a connecting rod bear, the sounds of a human voice can, on the contrary, attract.

Experienced hunters they also talk about more "exotic" ways of behavior at critical moments of an encounter with a predator. This, for example, is the “persuasion” of the animal: the person began to talk affectionately about something and the calm intonation softened the aggressive tension of the animal. In some cases, objects thrown aside helped - a backpack, a hat, a sweater, food; they diverted the attention of the predator and gave time to retreat. Another way to reduce the aggression of the beast is to pretend to be dead, as some small animals do. It is recommended to fall on your side, if possible curl into a ball, reducing the surface of the body, and hide your head. It is likely that the beast will sniff, touch or even move you for a long time - you need to be prepared and endure for this.

To avoid direct contact with a predator, all methods are good, since an unprepared person has very few chances to emerge victorious in a fight with a tiger, wolf or bear. Meanwhile, experts note that hand-to-hand combat with brown bear more often ends in serious injuries than death on the spot, the beast is more likely to “remember”, but not kill. There were cases when hunters, having fallen into the “arms” of a bear, acted so decisively and courageously (any means were used, up to blows to a sensitive nose and bites!), That the beast retreated.

Nevertheless, let us remind you once again: there are no rules of conduct that would guarantee an unarmed person absolute safety when meeting with a large predator. Most importantly, try to avoid encountering wild animals.

Other type emergencies- careless handling of forest inhabitants that are quite harmless at first glance. Unfortunately, such emergencies happen much more often than attacks by large animals, and the person himself is primarily to blame for them.

From this point of view, many forest animals can be considered as potentially dangerous. First of all, it is an extensive and diverse group of poisonous animals.

Under certain circumstances, the danger is represented by arachnids and insects, especially biting and stinging - beetles, ants, wasps, mosquitoes, flies, butterflies. These small mobile animals, almost imperceptible in dense grass or bushes, are able to penetrate the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, which can lead to serious injuries, especially in children. Halts and overnight stays on a hike should be done away from places of accumulation of social insects; We also advise you to carefully check the clothes. Explain to young children that it is strictly forbidden to take insects in your hands, and even more so in your mouth, since even the most “kind” beetle will always have means of protection - spines, “jaws”, an unpleasant smell, caustic substances, etc.

Despite large-scale preventive measures, there is a threat of contracting serious diseases, the carriers of which can be forest insects. First of all, flies should be mentioned here. They carry pathogenic microorganisms (causative agents of dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, diphtheria) on their lanks and proboscis. These insects are especially dangerous near forest dumps. A person is “owed” to ticks by such serious diseases as tick-borne encephalitis and piroplasmosis. No less dangerous are fleas (they carry plague and tularemia) and blood-sucking mosquitoes, which not only cause pain with bites, but also carry a number of pathogens. Perhaps the simplest and most accessible method of preventing the bites of these animals is a thorough examination of exposed areas of the body immediately after each visit to the forest, as well as the use of a wide arsenal modern means repelling insects. And of course - preventive vaccinations, thanks to which the frequency and severity of diseases has been significantly reduced.

Small and medium-sized predatory mammals belonging to the mustelid family (badger, ermine, weasel, pine marten, black polecat, European mink, otter) are harmless only at first glance. Remember that mustelids are, although relatively small in size, but still the most real and very energetic predators capable of active and aggressive defense; when protecting the young, they are able to seriously bite. There are cases when a badger, disturbed in its hole, severely bit the hunting dogs and the hunters themselves, which they would never do first when they accidentally met a person. Some animals (for example, weasel, polecat, ermine) are not devoid of curiosity and willingly visit settlements, and in the forest they can approach the parking lot of tourists, especially at night.

It is not superfluous to recall once more about such an “iron” rule of behavior in the forest as a ban on destroying animal shelters - burrows, nests, etc. A person who violates this rule not only behaves unworthily towards our smaller brothers, but also exposes his own health and life to serious danger, because in the face of the loss of his own home or the death of offspring, the most peaceful creature “goes wild”.

In conditions of limited visibility, especially at night, any animal, even a harmless one, can be very frightening, especially a child, with a loud cry, a sudden sharp movement, or simply appearance(for example, non-venomous snakes). People sometimes had heart attacks from fright, when not only such a large bird as a capercaillie, but even a hazel grouse suddenly took off right from under their feet. The sharp and noisy rise of birds is nothing but active protection, designed to bring the predator into a state of shock for a moment. In the forest, with relative isolation, fear is much more difficult to bear and sometimes leads to severe stress, psychological trauma. Here you always need to be internally prepared for fear, for the fact that you can hear or see something “terrible”.

Study the habits of wild animals, then the fear of them will recede, and the forest dwellers will favorably accept you into their "company".