California man ate squirrels, lizards and snakes to stay alive outdoors for 19 days

A 72-year-old California man is recovering after he was found alive Saturday after spending nearly three weeks lost alone in the woods. Gene Penaflor was finally reunited with his family Saturday, hours after he was spotted in the wilderness of northern California.

The ordeal began last month deep in the Mendocino National Forest. Penaflor split up from his hunting partner and later fell and blacked out.

Nearly 20 agencies spent four days looking for Penaflor. But with a storm moving in and no sign of the missing hunter, the search was called off.

For 19 days, Penaflor -- a lover of the outdoors -- survived on the skills he knew. "To keep himself warm, he gathered up dry leaves and slept underneath it, and he also ate squirrels, some lizards, snakes and algae from the water to survive," Jeremy said.

Jeremy added, "Just as if he took a long vacation and came back home with a beard."

[link to www.cbsnews.com]