What Bear Grylls does when he meets a pack of wolves

If you get lost in the wilderness and are trying to survive or make your way out, one thing you do not want to do is to become prey for a hungry and wild – even if your name is Bear. 

Over the years, Bear Grylls has had his fair share of encounters with dangerous animals. This has included wolves – which are found in wilderness and remote areas in North America and in more than 28 countries in Europe, as well as in Russia and Asia (they are endangered in some countries and in National Parks).

Wolves live and hunt in packs, and while they can be clever and dangerous predators, the good news is that wolf attacks on humans are rare and they are mostly afraid of humans.

“But if you are alone in a remote place, especially in winter when food is scarce and the wolves are hungry, they may start to hunt you,” says Bear in World Adventure Survival Camp.

If you do even meet a wolf in the wild, here are a few tips on how to survive.

What Not To Do

Firstly, don’t ever look a wolf in the eye, and never show your teeth. These gestures are seen as aggressive by the wolf, and might lead it to attack you.

Secondly, do not run. If a wolf chases you, it will catch you. Wolves can run much faster than you, so that will probably not end well.

Wolves work together in packs, and Bear notes that this shows how formidable a team they can be. “The pack works together to bring down prey much larger than themselves. Then the wolves take turns to devour the meat,” he says in World Adventure Survival Camp.

Get To Higher Ground

If there is a rock nearby, get on top of it, or climb up a tree if possible. If you can’t do this, stand up to your full height. 

“Make yourself look as big as possible,” says Bear. “Hold your backpack up or wave your arms above your head.”

Fight The Attack

Finally, if the wolf does attack you, you must fight back with everything you have. “Aim for the nose,” says Bear.

Make sure to protect your throat and face with your forearm. If everything else fails, try ramming your hand hard down the wolf’s throat.