Survival Shows

Survivorman, Les Stroud, introduces his upcoming saga of survival in the Kalahari Desert, showing map of South, Central Africa. He arrives on scene, somewhere in a non-descript rolling dune and dotted tree moonscape, and places himself in situation by running out of gas in his old vehicle.

Herein, the tone is established, not for ending up in the “Kalahari Desert”, but in a dry and desolate place anywhere. He establishes what he knows of his situation; what climate he expects to face, and quickly asses the flora and fauna for food or danger.

With resolve that his week’s survival is on his shoulders, he sets about gleaning potentially necessary ‘items’ from his vehicle, and allows the audience insight of their potential uses in coming days. This assessment window is key, he points out, as there are rarely second chances to gather useful tools.

Heat will be his gravest obstacle; the desert could soar to 140 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, the sand could become upwards of 160 degrees F. He brought very little water for the duration, and drinking water is his gold. Sandstorms could be deadly, as the wind and sand wick moisture from one’s body very quickly. Stroud advises to wear lots of loose fitting clothing, and to move about slowly, if at all, during the heat of the day. Stay in the shade, avoid sunburn and watch for predatory varmints.

Once he’s explained how to survive, he shows what it takes to accomplish this.

We see pieces, ‘parts’, gleaned from his vehicle, become tools like fire bundles, weapons, and storage containers, and how to put them to use here. In ‘real time’ he hunts food (birds, scorpions), starts a fire without matches, makes two ‘water stills’, and offers enlightening facts on edible things he hunted and consumed.

Twice, Stroud becomes very ill. First, from consuming too much rich food after nearly starving for several days, and secondly from heat exhaustion. His heat exhaustion is given the spotlight; what conditions cause it; extreme heat and water deprivation, and what is needed to deal with it. He has neither the water he needs to drink nor the body cooling power he needs. Migraine headache, disorientation, and obvious inability to walk well are symptoms of dangerous heat exhaustion.

Les Stroud dumps the last few days of his projected week’s project and staggers forth for help, a few hours away, rather than risking death.