A young boy in Zimbabwe was rescued from a \u201clion-infested\u201d national park after going missing for five days. <\/p>\n
Tinotenda Pudu, 7, went missing from his village in the northwest of the country on December 27. He was eventually found in the Matusadona National Park after a rescue mission involving park rangers, police and the local community, according to a spokesperson from Zimbabwe Parks, the country\u2019s parks and wildlife management authority. <\/p>\n
The search for the little boy was impeded by heavy rainfall in the northern region, which made it difficult for rangers to spot his footprints. <\/p>\n
On December 30, footprints were discovered in an area of the park and Tinotenda was found in the early hours of the next day. <\/p>\n
Mutsa Murombedzi, member of parliament for the Mashonaland West region, which includes the national park, described the rescue as a \u201ctrue miracle\u201d in a post on X. <\/p>\n
She said the child had \u201cwandered away, lost direction, and unknowingly headed into the perilous Matusadonha Game Park.\u201d <\/p>\n
According to the MP, Tinotenda at one point heard the park rangers\u2019 vehicle and tried to run toward the noise \u2013 but was late to reach them. Fortunately, the rangers came back to the area and saw \u201cfresh little human footprints,\u201d which led them to the boy. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis was probably his last chance of being rescued after 5 days in the wilderness,\u201d Murombedzi wrote. <\/p>\n
The national park once had the highest density of lions in Africa, according to the non-profit African Parks, and is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including elephants, zebras, hippos, lions and buffalo. <\/p>\n
Tinotenda is thought to have walked through 49 kilometers (around 30 miles) of lion-infested terrain during his five-day ordeal, surviving on wild fruit and ground water. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is estimated that he walked through the harsh terrain of the lion infested Matusadonha National Park for 49 kilometers from his village to the point where he was found,\u201d Zimbabwe Parks said in a statement. <\/p>\n
\u201cDuring this period, he survived on wild fruits and would dig a small hole along the dry riverbank to access underground water to drink, a technique that is well known in drought prone areas.\u201d <\/p>\n
Tinotenda was taken to a local clinic for preliminary examinations following the rescue and was later moved to a hospital for further medical evaluation. <\/p>\n
According to an update posted by the MP, the young boy has rested and is in stable condition. He is set to be assessed by a mental health team to ensure he has not suffered any lasting trauma as a result of his ordeal, she added. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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