In the dense rainforests of Southeast Asia, surface water is rarely far away. Streams, rivers, and standing pools are common. But there are situations — traversing a steep ridge, moving through thick secondary growth, or simply being caught without a container — where a reliable water source is not immediately accessible. In these moments, certain woody lianas can provide a surprisingly generous and clean supply of drinkable water, drawn directly from the cut stem. We have encountered this technique in the forests of Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra, where indigenous communities use it as a standard practice. It is not a…

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, many draught animals were released in the wild in Western Australia, as motor vehicles took over their work. These included donkeys and camels. Both species flourished thereafter in the wild and formed huge herds, to the detriment of many farmers. Most of these animals were culled within the last decades through eradication programs. However, when we visited the Kimberley region of Western Australia at the end of 2024, we still came across two herds of feral donkeys. Following their trails would have helped us find water in a…

Freshwater springs in the lagoons of Zanzibar are a unique feature of this island. Although such springs exist on many – or even most – coasts worldwide, these Zanzibarian springs can be used as a characteristic example of this phenomenon. Freshwater can be drunk directly at the exit points of these springs within low-tide lagoons of saltwater. Relevant geographical features of Zanzibar Zanzibar Island (called ‘Unguja’ in Swahili) is a relatively flat country with mountainous elevations of up to 130 meters above sea level in the island’s northern part. In the southern areas of Chwaka Bay, which is located roughly…

The Hadzabe (plural of Hadza) natural environments are the escarpments and rocky, wooded hills that form the watersheds for Lake Eyasi and Yaeda Swamp in Tanzania. In this Rift Valley environment, seasonal rainfall changes and surface water availability from runoff and pooling significantly affect the annual rhythm of Hadza water sources and their life. Hadza water sources are abundant during the annual rains from November to April and become increasingly scarce during the dry season from May to October, where September and October are the hottest months. These yearly wet/dry alternations determine how the Hadza people source and use the…

Potassium permanganate is an essential chemical for various simple living applications. One is its disinfecting effects, and the other is the possibility of chemically starting fires. This article discusses disinfecting water on a small scale for drinking purposes. We will not cover industrial-scale water disinfection or disinfection for medical purposes. Using potassium permanganate for fire starting will be related to a future article. What is potassium permanganate chemically? Potassium permanganate, with its chemical formula of KMnO4, is a manganese salt in the +7 oxidation state. As the chemical formula suggests, it consists of one manganese atom surrounded by four oxygen…

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) require approximately 40 to 60 gallons (150 to 220 liters) of water daily to maintain their health. They obtain this water from various sources, including open water bodies and wells dug in sandy riverbeds. Additionally, elephants also get water from vegetation. This can be the inner trunks of Baobab trees or the bark of Marula trees. Like Zebras, elephants consistently seek out and drink the cleanest available water regardless of the water source. Surface water When encountering large water bodies such as rivers or lakes, elephants use these sources for multiple purposes. They drink and use…

Tsamma melons are the original progenitors of watermelons. Historical records indicate that these melons were already under cultivation in the Nile Valley as far back as 2000 BC. In contemporary times, Tsamma melons continue to be utilized for their oil in the cosmetic industry. For some people, they still serve as both sustenance and a source of hydration. Species of wild melons in Namibia In Namibia, the following species of Tsamma melons are found: According to Mrs. Mienkie Welman, a researcher at the National Herbarium in Pretoria, the perennial Citrullus ecirrhosus lacks tendrils and is confined to Namibia and the…

Freshwater seepages occur along drainage lines on beaches, where the water table meets the sea. These seepages are fed by freshwater supplies from inland, and the land beyond the sea is naturally higher than sea level, causing freshwater to flow into the sea. Beach groundwater dynamics The line on the shore where the water table is in equilibrium between pore water pressure and atmospheric pressure is called the Mean Water Surface (MWS). At this line, pore water (freshwater) flows into the sea. However, the MWS does not always coincide with the freshwater exit point, as the MWS is significantly lower…

The salt intake of a human in case of an actual survival situation or when living from the provisions of a shoreline by purpose is of utmost importance to its health. If too much salt is consumed, the body has adverse short-term effects, like dehydration, swelling, and kidney damage. Salt (Sodium chloride, NaCl) attracts water and holds it in human cells. It disrupts osmosis, which causes dehydration and symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and muscle cramps. Retaining body fluid also causes swelling in feet, ankles, and legs. Adverse long-term effects are high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and possibly stomach cancer. Health…

Larger herbivores in African savannas formed game trails by regular use over eons of years and many, many generations. These trails connect water sources and feeding and bedding areas within their home range. And for a few of them, they serve to mark territories. Natural obstacles, like rocky hills, dongas (deep erosions), or water courses, are choking points where trails converge. Types of game trails Mixed game trails If we consider animal trails leading us to water sources, there are three different types. Firstly, there are mixed game trails, which meander through the savannah. They contain mainly the hooves of…

Tetracera alnifolia (Dilleniaceae); Synonym T. alnifolia subsp. alnifolia; Common names Kiziazi, Nziazi, Nziazia (Kongo), Liane à eau (Fr.), Water tree Description A woody creeper up to 20 m long and up to 10 cm. in diameter. Leaves are 4 – 16 cm long and 3 – 8 cm wide, often recurved, on a petiole up to 2 cm long. Flowers are white in large, terminal panicles 15 – 25 cm long. The oval fruits are dull red and woody. Seeds are few, shiny black, with an orange aril, enclosing the seed. There are four other species of Tetracera present in…

Rumen fluid is a greenish-colored liquid substance with an aromatic and slightly sour smell. It is uniformly distributed in the rumen of antelopes and mixed with grazing or browsing roughage, fermentation gases, and bioactive organisms. The rumen liquid primarily comprises anaerobic bacteria and partially digested plants. It is also likely to contain gastrointestinal parasites. While the bacteria are not pathogenic and will pass through the digestive system harmlessly, some parasites could infect humans. Historical description of drinking rumen fluid There is one historical record of men drinking rumen fluids. It was described in a book linked here. It says: ‘…In…

The Double-banded Sandgrouse (Pterocles bicinctus) is commonly and colloquially called by its abbreviation ‘DBSG’ in Southern Africa. Its main distribution area is the savanna biome, especially Mopani Bushveld. There are three more species of sandgrouses in Southern Africa, all with distinct plumages but, for us, different drinking times for water. Specific behaviors of Double-banded Sandgrouses DBSGs prefer to stay in areas with short, seeding grasses, speckled with bushes, or inother relatively open areas. They try to hide from their main predator, the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), by camouflaging against his eyesight. Their color, shape, and movements are adapted for optimal…

Where to dig One of the most essential techniques for finding drinkable water in Southern African natural environments is digging for water in areas that are holding water underground. These water-holding structures can be situated next to an open water source or below riverbeds where no open water is visible. Water contamination Water contamination can be mechanical (e.g., sediments), biological (e.g., parasites), or chemical (e.g., elevated metal ion levels). Cloudy water – avoid dark layers of sand. Mechanical water filtration can be done by various filtering devices or by digging a hole at least 1 m apart from the open…