Zimbabwe Child Survives Five Days in Park Surrounded by Wild Animals

A young boy survived five days in a Zimbabwe national park with no other humans in sight. However, he wasn't alone; lions lurked right around the corner.

Zimbabwe wildlife / Unsplash

On Friday, Dec. 27, 7-year-old Tinotenda Pudu wandered several miles from his home in a rural village. The young boy traveled on foot to Matusadona National Park, where he miraculously survived five days in wild animal territory.

Three days after his disappearance from the village, authorities discovered human footprints at the park, leading them to believe he was nearby.

According to African Parks, Matusadona is home to a variety of mammals, including buffalo, elephants, hippos, leopards, and lions.

"At one point, Matusadona supported the highest density of lion in Africa, and was an incredible stronghold for elephant and black rhino," the website states.

Knowing this information, we are left wondering how the 7-year-old managed to survive in the park.

"What saved him is the technique learnt from a young age in dry [and] drought prone areas of drawing water from a dry river bank," Mutsa Murombedzi from the Zimbabwean Parliament for Mashonaland West province wrote on X.

In her post, she stated that the boy slept on a "rocky perch, amidst roaring lions, passing elephants, eating wild fruits..."

On Dec. 31, after laborious search, authorities found the boy near the Hogwe River.

"We are overwhelmed with gratitude to the brave park rangers, the tireless Nyaminyami community who beat night drums each day to get the boy [to] hear sound and get the direction back home and everyone who joined the search," Murombedzi wrote on X.

"Above all, we thank God... This is a testament to the power of unity, hope, prayer and never giving up."

The boy is currently in the hospital undergoing an medical evaluation. It was reported that he was frail upon being rescued and required an IV drip.

While his exact condition is not known at this time, it is safe to say that the boy's incredible ability to problem solve and use critical thinking skills helped keep him alive while in the park.