Our Correspondent | Africa Guardian
A young boy in Zimbabwe has survived a harrowing ordeal after going missing for several days in a lion-infested game park. Eight-year-old Tinotenda Pudu was found alive on Dec. 31, 2024, after having wandered 23 kilometers (about 14 miles) away from his rural Kariba community, eventually finding himself in Matusadona National Park.
The story, shared by Mutsa Murombedzi, a member of parliament from Mashonaland West, described the situation as a “true miracle.” Pudu spent five days in the park, sleeping on a rocky outcrop surrounded by roaring lions and passing elephants, and surviving by eating wild fruits. He managed to dig a small hole near a dry riverbank to access underground water, a survival technique common in drought-prone areas.
The boy’s disappearance was reported on Dec. 27, and after days of intense searching, rangers finally found him alive. Despite challenges posed by heavy rainfall, which made tracking his movements difficult, the boy was located when rangers discovered his footprints and followed them to the rocky area where he was resting.
💫 A boy missing & found in Matusadonha game park
— Mutsa Murombedzi MP🇿🇼 (@mutsamu) January 1, 2025
A true miracle in remote Kasvisva community, Nyaminyami in rural Kariba, a community where one wrong turn could easily lead into a game park. 8-year-old Tinotenda Pudu wandered away, lost direction & unknowingly headed into the… pic.twitter.com/z19BLffTZW
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) confirmed the incident, stating that the boy had walked approximately 49 kilometers (30 miles) through difficult terrain and a lion-infested park. Following his rescue, Pudu was taken to a local clinic for initial medical checks and later transferred to a hospital for further evaluations.
Murombedzi expressed gratitude to the rangers and local community, who played a key role in locating the boy. She also noted that mental health professionals would soon assess Pudu to ensure he had not suffered lasting psychological trauma from the experience. Due to concerns about his well-being, Murombedzi emphasized that it was recommended Pudu not be asked to recount his ordeal too soon to avoid further emotional distress.
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