A young boy who went missing in a rainforest reserve in northern Zimbabwe, home to dangerous animals such as lions and elephants, survived for five days by eating fruits and finding water by digging wells.
according to Metro, Tinotenda Pundu wandered from his village in northern Zimbabwe on 27 December and became lost. Five days later he was found, emaciated and dehydrated but alive, in Matusadona National Park, about 30 miles (50 km) away. The Tinotenda used sticks to dig river banks for water, a skill taught in drought-prone areas, and ate a wild fruit known as tswanazwa.
Describing the story of 8-year-old Tinotenda Pudu, local Member of Parliament P Mutsa Murombedzi wrote that “He wandered off, lost direction and unwittingly walked into the dangerous Matusadonha Game Park. He spent 5 long, harrowing days in the forest near Hogway. After the river, which joins the Ume River, the boy is found alive by the incredible rangers of the Matusadona Africa Park, wandering 23 km to his home, surrounded by roaring lions. “Between elephants passing by, eating wild fruit, and sleeping on a rocky outcropping among simply unforgiving savages, is too much for an 8-year-old.”
A boy is missing and found in Matusadonha Game Park
A true miracle in the remote Kasawiswa community, Nyaminyami in rural Kariba, a community where one wrong turn can easily lead to a game park. 8-year-old Tinotenda Pudu got lost, lost direction and unknowingly went… pic.twitter.com/z19BLffTZW
—Mutsa Murombedzi MP?? (@mutsamu) 1 January 2025
There are about 40 lions in the Matusadona Game Park. At one time, it had one of the highest concentrations of lion populations in Africa. African Park.
“We are overwhelmed with gratitude to the brave park rangers, to the tireless Nyaminyami community, who beat the drums every day at night to alert the boy to the voices and directions back home, and to everyone involved in the search. Most of all Above all, we thank God for keeping an eye on Tinotenda and taking him back home safely, this is a testament to the power of unity, hope, prayer and never giving up,” the MP wrote while thanking the Rangers.
