A 7-year-old boy survived five harrowing days in Zimbabwe’s Matusadona Game Park, home to lions, elephants, and other wild animals, after wandering away from his home, officials said.
The boy, identified as Tinotenda Pudu, traveled at least 23 kilometers (14 miles) into the perilous game park, according to Mashonaland West MP Mutsa Murombedzi, who detailed the incident on social media. The park is known for its dense lion population, with about 40 lions inhabiting the area.
Tinotenda endured five days sleeping on rocky perches surrounded by roaring lions and passing elephants. He survived by eating wild fruits and digging small wells into dry riverbeds with a stick to access drinking water — a survival skill common in the drought-prone region.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority confirmed the incident to the BBC, though officials said the boy was seven years old and had walked 49 kilometers (30 miles) from his home, contrary to earlier reports.
“The young boy demonstrated incredible survival skills and knowledge of the wild, which ultimately saved his life,” Murombedzi said.
Members of the Nyaminyami community launched a search effort, beating drums daily to help guide the boy back home. Despite their efforts, it was park rangers who ultimately found him.
On the fifth day, Tinotenda heard a ranger’s vehicle and ran toward it but narrowly missed being seen. Undeterred, the rangers spotted fresh human footprints and tracked him until they found him.
“This was probably his last chance of being rescued after five days in the wilderness,” Murombedzi added.
Matusadona Game Park spans more than 1,470 square kilometers (570 square miles) and is home to zebras, elephants, hippos, lions, and antelope. Once, it boasted one of Africa’s highest lion population densities, according to African Parks.
Social Media Reaction
The boy’s survival story has drawn widespread praise on social media, with many lauding his resilience and resourcefulness.
“This is beyond human comprehension,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Another said, “He’s going to have one hell of a story to tell when he gets back to school.”
