Missing boy found by rangers after wandering for 5 days in lion-infested game park

HARARE – An 8-year-old boy who went missing from his rural Kariba home was finally located safe by rangers after wandering alone for five days in wildlife infested Matusadonha Game Park in Mashonaland West.

Tinotenda Pudu wandered away, lost direction and unknowingly headed into the perilous Matusadonha Game Park, according to Mashonaland West Proportional Representation MP, Mutsa Murombedzi who succinctly captured the horror in a social media post on her X handle.

“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 and unknowingly headed into the perilous Matusadonha game park,” she said.

“After 5 long, harrowing days in the jungle near Hogwe River, which feeds into Ume River, the boy has been found alive by the incredible rangers from Matusadona Africa Parks.

“His ordeal, wandering 23km from home, sleeping on a rocky perch, amidst roaring lions, passing elephants, eating wild fruits and just the unforgiving wild is too much for an 8-year-old.”

Eight-year-old Tinotenda Pudu got lost and for 5 days, he wandered alone in a lion-infested jungle
Added the legislator, “We are overwhelmed with gratitude to the brave park rangers, the tireless Nyaminyami community who beat night drums each day to get the boy hear sound and get the direction back home and everyone who joined the search.

“Above all, we thank God for watching over Tinotenda and leading him back home safely. This is a testament to the power of unity, hope, prayer and never giving up.”

Tonotenda, according to the MP, survived on eating a wild fruit called Nchoomva in Tonga.

“It is Tsvanzva like or its actually the Tsvanzva. Then water he would go on the dry riverbank and use hands and a stick to dig a Mukàla in Tonga or what we call Mufuku in Shona and drank water from there.”

Tinotenda was reportedly very frail when he was rescued and had to be put on a drip to regain his strength.

“On water what saved him is the technique learnt from a young age in dry and drought prone areas of drawing water from a dry riverbank – digging a mufuku,” Murombedzi said.

While in the jungle, Tinotenda reportedly heard a park rangers vehicle and tried to run towards the sound but was late only to see vehicle markings in the off the beaten path in the game park.

He then went back to the rocky outcrop but luckily when the park rangers used the same path on their return, they saw fresh little human footprints and scoured the area and found him.

“This was probably his last chance of being rescued after 5 days in the wilderness,” Murombedzi said.

Text- image: Zimlive