In a stunning tale of survival and resilience, an 8-year-old boy from Zimbabwe has been found alive after spending five days in a game park inhabited by lions and elephants.
The boy, identified as Tinotenda Pudu, wandered into the Matusadona Game Park, located in northern Zimbabwe, on January 4, 2025.
According to Mashonaland West MP Mutsa Murombedzi, Tinotenda walked at least 23 kilometers from his home into the game park, which is known for its high concentration of lions and elephants.
The park is home to approximately 40 lions, making it one of the most perilous places for a young boy to venture into alone.
Tinotenda’s ordeal began when he wandered away from his home in search of adventure.
With no food or water, he was forced to rely on his knowledge of the wild and survival skills to stay alive.
He ate wild fruits and dug small wells into dry riverbeds to access drinking water, a skill he had learned in the drought-prone area.
As the days passed, Tinotenda’s family and community launched a search party, beating drums each day to try and guide him back home.
However, it was the park rangers who ultimately found him on his fifth day in the wild.
According to Murombedzi, Tinotenda heard the ranger’s car and ran towards it, narrowly missing it.
The rangers returned, spotted his footprints, and searched the area until they found him.
Tinotenda’s survival is being hailed as a miracle, with many praising his resilience and resourcefulness.
The incident has also highlighted the importance of teaching children survival skills and the dangers of venturing into the wild alone.
The Matusadona Game Park, where Tinotenda’s ordeal took place, is a vast wilderness area covering over 1,470 square kilometers.
The park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including zebras, elephants, hippos, lions, and antelope.
While the park offers breathtaking scenery and exciting wildlife viewing opportunities, it is also a potentially deadly environment for humans, especially children.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
