"True miracle" in Zimbabwe Boy (8) survives five days alone among 40 lions
An eight-year-old in Zimbabwe held out in a wildlife park for five days. He braved lions and drought before being found by rangers.
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- Eight-year-old Tinotenda Pudu spent five days alone in the Matusadona Game Park in Zimbabwe.
- Using his knowledge of drought areas, he dug small drinking fountains and fed on wild fruit.
- A search party finally found him after park rangers discovered fresh footprints.
Member of Parliament Mutsa Murombedzi calls the rescue of Tinotenda Pudu a "true miracle". The eight-year-old was found after five days in a game park in Zimbabwe - alone among lions and elephants.
The boy got lost and ended up in the Matusadona Wildlife Park in northern Zimbabwe, writes Murombedzi on X. According to the BBC, around 40 lions live there and the park once had one of the highest lion densities in Africa.
According to Murombedzi, Tinotenda found shelter on a rocky outcrop "in the midst of roaring lions and passing elephants". He survived his ordeal thanks to his knowledge of arid regions. He dug small wells in dry riverbeds with a stick to get drinking water. He used wild fruit as food.
"Fresh little human footprints"
The park is over 1470 square kilometers in size. Members of the local Nyaminyami community had formed a search party. Drums were played each night in an attempt to show the boy the way home.
On his fifth day in the wilderness, Tinotenda heard a park ranger's car and ran towards it, writes the MP. However, he narrowly missed the car. Later, however, the rangers returned and discovered "fresh small human footprints". Shortly afterwards, Tinotenda was finally found.
"It was probably his last chance," writes Murombedzi. The rescue was "proof of the power of unity, hope, prayer and not giving up".
