Possibly “Deathworld” by Harry Harrison? A short novel.
“Along the way, Jason has to figure out how to survive a planet that seems designed to kill all human life with poisonous animal and plant attacks, how to get along with much stronger and stubborn and closed-minded native Pyrrans, and determine what is behind the planet’s violent reaction towards anything human.
This story explores the themes of ingrained beliefs, ability to change perspective, and how those aspects affect survival and the capability to thrive.”
I thought of Deathworld, but the ending is completely unlike the story that Rubio describes.
Similar underlying premise but totally different plot and ending. I've read "Deathworld", but the story plot mentioned doesn't ring a bell. I knew right off that it was not by George O. Smith - he was a 40's radio engineer who projected 40's radio tech into the future - his best known stories were set on a relay station in a trojan point between Earth and Venus, where people manually aimed radio communications to their destination and where they had a whole staff whose job was to replace vacuum tubes - don't think he would have written such a story. Mark Clifton is more plausible.