Lost while playing

Eight-year-old survives five days among wild lions

Despite his young age, Tinotenda Pudu has many survival skills.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/x.com/mutsamu, Adobe Stock/ Putsada)

An eight-year-old has survived five days among lions in northern Zimbabwe. The boy, who got lost while playing, slept on a rocky outcrop at night to protect himself from the big cats. 

Member of Parliament Mutsa Murombedzi reported the rescue of the eight-year-old on Twitter, describing it as a "miracle". Tinotenda Pudu had lost his way in the "merciless" Matusadona Wildlife Park. According to the BBC, the park is home to around 40 lions and used to have one of the highest lion densities in Africa, according to the NGO African Parks.

Drums should guide Bub home
The local community launched a major search operation following Tinotenda's disappearance. They also beat drums every day so that the eight-year-old could find his way back to civilization based on the sound - but to no avail. 

The politician's posting:

Rangers found "fresh little human footprints"
The boy was eventually found by park rangers - when the eight-year-old heard their car, he ran towards it, but narrowly missed it. However, when the rangers passed by the spot again and discovered "fresh little human footprints", Tinotenda was finally found after a search of the surrounding area. 

"It was probably his last chance to be rescued after five days in the wild," says Murombedzi. During his time in the park, he fed on wild fruit and got water by digging small wells in dry riverbeds with a stick. He knew this survival trick because he had grown up in an area characterized by drought.