Jhonattan Acosta, a 30-year-old man from Bolivia, has recounted his astonishing story of survival after getting lost in the dense Amazon jungle for 31 days.
Mr. Acosta and four friends were hunting in the remote northern part of Bolivia when they became separated, and he was forced to rely on his instincts and survival skills to endure his harrowing ordeal.
Exposed to the elements at night, he said he was bitten by all sorts of different creatures. Disoriented, he had walked about 40km (25 miles) in search of civilisation but soon discovered he was going around in circles.
Despite the difficult conditions, Mr. Acosta remained determined to stay alive. He drank rainwater that he collected in his shoes and ate worms and insects for sustenance. He also had to avoid dangerous predators like jaguars and peccaries, a type of wild pig.
“I asked God for rain. If it hadn’t rained, I would not have survived.”
Jhonattan Acosta
When he wasn’t eating bugs, Jhonattan managed to find and eat a wild, papaya-like fruit that locals call “gargateas,” per the report.
According to Mr. Acosta’s brother, Horacio Acosta, he did have a shotgun, but there was only one cartridge inside. Jhonattan used that final cartridge to ward off a group of pig-like animals known as “peccaries.”
“He only had one cartridge in his shotgun and couldn’t walk, and he thought no one would be looking for him anymore,” Horacio Acosta added.
At the time of his discovery, Acosta had lost 37 pounds (17 kilograms), suffered from dehydration, and had a dislocated ankle. However, he was still able to walk with a limp, according to those who found him.
“He limped towards them through thorny bushes, shouting to draw attention to him,” Horacio Acosta said.
Mr. Acosta’s family intends to learn more about his experience of getting lost and surviving, but they will approach the issue gradually as he is still emotionally traumatised by the event.
According to Horacio, Jhonattan has vowed to give up hunting after his traumatic experience and will instead focus on playing music to praise God.
Meanwhile, police have announced their intention to question Acosta’s four friends to better understand how he became separated from them in the first place.
