A seven-year-old boy, Tinotenda Pundu, was found alive after being lost for five days in Matusadona National Park, a wildlife reserve in northern Zimbabwe known for its dangerous animals, including lions. The boy ventured into the park on December 27 and was discovered 50 kilometers away on December 31, having survived by eating wild fruits and drinking water from a riverbank—a common survival method in Zimbabwe’s drought-prone regions, according to ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo.
Tinotenda managed to walk 49 kilometers through the park’s challenging terrain, which is inhabited by lions, before being rescued. Search operations by rangers, locals, and police were delayed due to heavy rain, but intensified after finding his footprints on December 30. Local MP Mutsa Murombedzi described the boy’s survival as a “miracle,” highlighting his resourcefulness in sleeping on high rocks to avoid predators.
Villagers helped with the search by using drums to guide him, but rangers ultimately located him in the wilderness. Though frail and without any visible injuries, Tinotenda was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover. Matusadona National Park, near Lake Kariba, is home to a wide range of wildlife, including lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalo.
