An 8-year-old boy in Zimbabwe went missing from his village on December 27 as he wandered off into a national park and survived for 5 days before being traced.

The boy was identified as Tinotenda Pundu, he ventured into the Matusadona National Park in North Zimbabwe which is located 50 km away from his native village. The manner in which Tinotenda survived in the national park full of lions, elephants and other wild creatures is the highlight of the episode.

The boy used sticks to dig in and access underground water for drinking. It is a technique used drought prone prone areas in the country; he ate wild fruit known as tsvanzva.

P Mutsa Murombedzi a local MP took to X and described the five day ordeal of the boy as, “He wandered away, lost direction & unknowingly headed into the perilous Matusadonha game park. 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 23 km 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.”

Forest rangers traced Tinotenda in the Matusadona National Park, where he was weak and dehydrated. He was taken for medical tests.

Appreciating the efforts of the forest rangers in locating the boy, Murombedzi said, “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 & get the direction back home & 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.”