After surviving a remarkable 11 days in the Siberian taiga wilderness, a large region heavily inhabited by wolves and bears, three-year-old Karina Chikitova was rescued.

Rescuers allege that it was the little girl’s puppy that wound up saving the day. The dog had been by her side to keep her warm for a week or so until returning home and getting help. Initially, when it arrived in the village without her, Karina’s parents were distressed. But the loyal pup led search teams to her location in the south-west of the Sakha Republic.

“The girl aged three years and seven months survived by eating wild berries and drinking river water in territory roamed by wild bears and wolves,”reported The Siberian Times.

What are the three most important things you need to survive in the wild? food, water and warmth. Karina knew this. To stay alive, she made herself a place to sleep in the long grasses, ate wild berries and drank water from the river.

Despite the potential dangers she faced, the only injuries Karina sustained were mosquito bites and scratches to her feet.

Once found, she was comforted and then taken to the hospital with her mother at her side.

Images: Will Stewart/NTV The Siberian