Survival Skills

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Broadly defined 'Survival Skills' relate to the ability to deal with and overcome the adversities and challenges of nature, the environment, it's conditions and wildlife. 'Survival skills can also cover one's ability to deal with natural disasters such as flood, tsunami, hurricanes and earthquakes.

The ability to survive is largely dependent on the circumstances. However it is universally recognised that 'Three Survival Rules' are paramount. (Usually defined as the 'Rule of Three'. These are:

· Extreme cold or heat: Humans can only survive three hours exposed to the extremes

· Water: Humans can only survive three days without water

· Food: Humans can only survive nine days without food.

These three rules are the foundation one should build their survival skills. Thus respectively survival skills at it's core is about:

· The ability to build shelter to protect oneself against the extremes,

· the ability to find fresh uncontaminated drinking water

· and the ability to find a food source.

Each aspect provides its own set of unique challenges. The ability to find opportunities, improvise and adapt further greatly increases one's survival chances. Having an opportunistic attitude, setting aside your prejudices and making the most of the circumstances is a must.

Next to these skills, the other necessary survival skills include:

· Fire: The ability to make fire (for shelter and to cook your food)

· Navigation: The ability to navigate (either out of danger or to civilization)

· First Aid: The ability to administer basic first aid.

Survival skills in the modern world

Today there is less emphasis on survival with most of the population living in urban centres and cities. Most people's experience in survival skills will come from leisurely pursues (camping), hobbies (such as orientation and boy scouts) or the workforce (working in the army). The skills taught at these institutions are invaluable in everyday life as it teaches people how to be adaptive with the circumstances and the environment.

Survival skills in the media

Survival skills has also been popularised by many Tv Shows. Most noticeable of these is the 'Survivor' Reality Tv show. Here emphasise is placed on surviving the harsh and rough conditions of nature whilst also competing with other contestants to 'outwit, outplay and outlast' them to become the sole survivor and thereby winning $1 million.

More realistic to true survival skills is the Tv show 'Man vs wild' where Bear Grylls, a survival expert is stranded in the wilderness. Each episode takes him through the region where he shows viewers survival tips from finding food, water and shelter to his eventual track back to civilisation.

Whether it be for a Tv show, leisure or a real life survival situation, the ability to survive is the ability to live, overcoming and sometimes even thriving despite the circumstances, environment and nature.