The threat from animals is less than from other parts of the environment.
However, common sense tells you to avoid encounters with lions, bears, and
other large or dangerous animals. You should also avoid large grazing
animals with horns, hooves, and great weight. Move carefully through their
environment. Caution may prevent unexpected meetings. Do not attract large
predators by leaving food lying around your camp. Carefully survey the scene
before entering water or forests.
Smaller animals actually present more of a threat to you than large
animals. To compensate for their size, nature has given many small animals
weapons such as fangs and stingers to defend themselves. Each year, a few
people are bitten by sharks, mauled by alligators, and attacked by bears.
Most of these incidents were in some way the victim's fault. However, each
year more victims die from bites by relatively small venomous snakes than by
large dangerous animals. Even more victims die from allergic reactions to
bee stings. These smaller animals are the ones you are more likely to meet
as you unwittingly move into their habitat, or they slip into your
environment unnoticed.
Keeping a level head and an awareness of your surroundings will keep you
alive if you use a few simple safety procedures. Do not let curiosity and
carelessness kill or injure you.
