Don't trust those instincts in Costa Rican or Panamanian rainforests
at night, Rob, where the beautiful fer de lance can be found lurking
under a pile of leaves or on the far side of a log you happen to be
stepping over in the dark. The fer de lance is a three minute snake.
Just hope that there's a two minute one around if you happen to run
into the first.
Beyond that, it ain't the large critters that'll get ya. It's
typically the ones you can't see, ones that cause your nose to fall
off like leishmaniasis. I've been thrown by mountain gorillas,
attacked by a polar bear, eyed by killer whales (Antarctic), and
tracked at night by a stealthy jaguar (that can be heard on our
title, Amazon Days/Amazon Nights title. Nothing I know comes closer
to the dangers lurking in the microscopic range.
Bernie
On Jan 9, 2008, at 8:07 AM, Rob Danielson wrote:
> Could be that more recordists get seriously hurt tripping over stumps
> than by all wild animals combined? Perhaps critical to recall this
> time of year in the Northern hemisphere when any surface can quickly
> become treacherously slick.
>
> For urban living, many public heath experts profess that safety
> involves awareness of a few, key signs of possible danger and
> learning to play down fear. The reactions to danger by sound
> recordists in this string support this wisdom.
>
> Being safe can lead to new perceptions. For example, I used to tramp
> and stumble through the woods at night with a flashlight until one
> night Rich Peet headed out with me sans lighting gear. He suggested
> trying it "au natural" learning to use my night vision and auditory
> navigation. He was right. I feel I'm safer with my new skills. When
> my son became scared in the woods one black night, Rich put it this
> way, "The only two things you need to worry about in the woods are
> bad footing and humans in bad moods." Rob D.
> --
>
>
>
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