Child survives five days among lions in Zimbabwe wildlife reserve

A boy lost in a Zimbabwe park on Dec 27 was found 50km away on Dec 31, surviving on wild fruits and riverbank water.

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A seven-year-old boy, Tinotenda Pundu, was miraculously found alive after being lost for five days in Matusadona National Park, a wildlife reserve in northern Zimbabwe, known for its lions and other dangerous animals, authorities said Friday.

The boy wandered into the park from his village on December 27 and was found 50 kilometers (30 miles) away on December 31, surviving on wild fruits and water he extracted by digging into a riverbank—a survival technique common in Zimbabwe’s drought-prone areas, according to ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo.

Farawo noted that Tinotenda walked 49 kilometers through the park’s harsh, lion-infested terrain before being rescued. Search efforts by rangers, locals, and police were hindered by heavy rains but intensified after his footprints were spotted on December 30.

Local MP Mutsa Murombedzi called the boy’s survival a "miracle," emphasizing his ingenuity in sleeping on elevated rocks to evade predators.

Villagers aided the search by beating drums to guide him, but rangers ultimately found him deep in the wilderness.

Tinotenda was admitted to a hospital, frail but without visible injuries, and is expected to recover. The Matusadona National Park, located near Lake Kariba, is home to diverse wildlife, including lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalo.