How to Survive Every Apex Predator

In this video, I'll break down how to survive an encounter with every major apex predator that has been known to attack humans. From the skies to the depths of the ocean, I will cover the tactics you need to know if you ever find yourself face to face with nature’s deadliest hunters. We start with the eagle, whose razor-sharp talons can inflict deep wounds, and explain why covering your head and eyes is crucial. Moving into the icy waters, the leopard seal, a swift and aggressive predator, requires you to stay calm, make yourself appear larger, and slowly retreat without splashing. When dealing with a reticulated python, one of the largest snakes on Earth, your survival depends on preventing constriction and targeting the snake’s head and eyes. The hyena, a powerful pack hunter with bone-crushing jaws, can often be deterred by making loud noises, appearing dominant, and never turning your back. Encounters with an orca, the ocean’s top predator, are rare, but survival comes from avoiding splashing, staying calm, and sticking close to boats or solid surfaces.

On land, the Komodo dragon’s venomous bite means distance is your best ally, use sticks, rocks, or anything at hand to keep it away. The king cobra, capable of delivering lethal venom, requires absolute stillness, slow retreat, and never making sudden movements. With the jaguar, known for skull-crushing bites, fighting back aggressively, especially aiming for sensitive areas like the eyes, is your best chance. When facing a mountain lion, standing tall, making loud noises, and maintaining eye contact can prevent an attack, but if it strikes, fight back with everything you have. An alligator or crocodile attack is best countered by targeting the eyes and snout, and if dragged into a “death roll,” rolling with it while striking sensitive areas can save your life.

The great bears require different strategies: with a grizzly bear, playing dead after an initial charge can spare you, while with a polar bear, you must fight back fiercely since they see humans as prey. A wolf encounter often involves a pack, stand tall, don’t run, and use sticks or rocks to defend yourself if attacked. In the ocean, the bull shark, tiger shark, and great white shark all require calmness, avoid frantic movements, maintain eye contact, and if attacked, strike the eyes, gills, or snout to deter them. Finally, with big cats like the tiger and lion, intimidation is key before an attack, stand tall, make noise, never turn your back, and if the worst happens, fight back with total aggression aimed at the face and eyes.

This guide arms you with knowledge that could make the difference in a once in a lifetime encounter with Earth’s most powerful predators.

0:00 17 - Eagle
1:12 16 - Leopard Seal
2:23 15 - Reticulated Python
3:51 14 - Giant Otter & 13 - Hyena
5:09 12 - Orca
5:51 11 - Komodo Dragon
7:04 10 - King Cobra
7:52 9 - Jaguar
9:16 8 - Mountain Lion
10:32 7 - Alligator
11:28 6 - Grizzly Bear and Polar Bear
13:16 5 - Wolf
14:21 4 - Tiger Shark, Bull Shark, and Great White Shark
15:43 3 - Tiger
17:03 2 - Lion
18:08 1 - Saltwater and Nile Crocodiles