Young boy survives 5 days in ‘lion-infested’ African game park after wandering far from home

A missing young boy has been found alive after spending five days alone in a wildlife park in northern Zimbabwe filled with wild animals, according to a member of the country’s parliament.

Mutsa Murombedzi shared the news of the “real miracle” on Wednesday on X.

According to Murombedzi, 8-year-old Tinotenda Pudu wandered 23 kilometers from home, got lost and “unknowingly headed towards the perilous Matusadonha Wildlife Park.” She described the area the boy is from as “a community where a wrong turn could easily lead to a game park.”

The boy disappeared for five days in the jungle near the Hogwe River, Murombedzi said, where he slept on a rocky perch “among roaring lions, walking past elephants” and ate wild fruits to survive.

She said members of the local Nyaminyami community beat drums every day to try to bring the boy home.

But it was Matusadona Africa Parks rangers who finally found the boy, according to Murombedzi.

In a separate statement shared on Friday, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) confirmed the rescue but said the boy was 7 years old and had wandered 49 kilometers (30 miles) away from his village “through the rough terrain of the “lion-infested” game park to where he was.

ZimParks said the boy went missing on December 27 and a search operation began immediately after receiving the report of his disappearance.

The agency said it faced difficulties during the search mission due to heavy rains which washed away the boy’s footprints.

On December 30, ZimParks said footprints had been located in the Sakata Valley region of Matusadona National Park. They found the boy the next day.

ZimParks said the boy was first taken to a local clinic and then to a hospital for a medical evaluation following the ordeal.

Murombedzi shared an update on the boy’s condition on Saturday. She said medical officials told her the boy had rested and was stable, but was awaiting an evaluation from a mental health team to ensure he would not suffer lasting trauma.

“Above all, we thank God for looking after Tinotenda and bringing him home safe and sound,” Murombedzi said in his Wednesday message. “It’s a testament to the power of unity, hope, prayer and never giving up.”