Missing 8-year-old boy survives 5 days in lion-inhabited game park
An 8-year-old boy, Tinotenda Pudu, has miraculously survived five days alone in Zimbabwe’s Matusadona Game Park, which is home to lions and elephants.
The young boy wandered 23 km (14 miles) from his home into the perilous park, triggering a widespread search led by local community members and park rangers.
Tinotenda’s ordeal began when he inadvertently strayed into the wildlife-rich park, known for its dense population of lions, with estimates suggesting around 40 lions inhabit the area. For five days, the boy endured the harsh conditions, sleeping on rocky ledges while lions roared nearby and elephants passed by.
Despite the dangers, Tinotenda managed to survive by foraging for wild fruits and using survival techniques he had learned, such as digging small wells in dry riverbeds to access drinking water.
The boy’s disappearance on December 29, 2024, sparked a massive search effort in the Nyaminyami community, with drums beaten daily to guide him back home. However, it was only on the fifth day that park rangers located him. After hearing a ranger’s vehicle, Tinotenda ran towards it but narrowly missed it. The rangers later discovered fresh footprints and conducted an extensive search until they found him.
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The community and social media users have expressed admiration for Tinotenda’s resilience, with many praising his survival instincts. The boy’s remarkable story has captured the attention of many, with one social media user noting, “He’s going to have one hell of a story to tell when he gets back to school.”
The Matusadona Game Park spans over 1,470 square kilometers (570 square miles), and aside from lions, is home to zebras, elephants, hippos, and antelope, making it a challenging and dangerous environment for anyone, especially a young child.
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