In a rare story of adversity, courage and a stroke of luck in which fate mainly decided his course to ensure his survival, Tinotenda Pudu, a young boy from the remote Kasvisva community in Nyaminyami in rural Kariba, Mashonaland West, survived a harrowing ordeal where he had to dodge lions and other dangerous wild animals for five days after being lost from his home.
Pudu (eight) was lucky to be found alive after five days in the vast and dangerous wilderness following his disappearance from home a few days ago.
He had lost his direction and wandered 23 kilometres into Matusadona National Park which is fraught with danger.
Nyaminyami is in rural Kariba, a region in northern Zimbabwe known for its vast wilderness and wildlife, including lethal predators such as lions, hyenas, buffaloes, leopards and elephants, among others.The district borders Lake Kariba to the west, Binga district to the south, Gokwe North to the east, and Hurungwe to the north and northeast.
It is one of the least developed districts in the country, with poor infrastructure and high levels of wildlife poaching and human-wildlife conflict.
Pudu roamed bewildered in the Matusadona National Park, lost and confused for five days surviving on eating fruits, while moving undetected by wild animals inin the jungle near Hogwe River, which feeds into Ume River.
Matusadona National Park is a remote and scenic wilderness containing dense thickets, mopane woodlands and grasslands along the southern shore of Lake Kariba.
The rugged landscape of the Zambezi escarpment offers excellent game viewing and bird watching with opportunities to see the big four (elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard), plains game such as impala and kudu; and vast birdlife diversity.
So hunger was not the only challenge, but his biggest danger were wild animals.
In a landscape that is shared by people and wildlife, human-wildlife conflict is a major problem.
Crop damage by elephant and predation on cattle and goats by hyena and lion – due to poor land-use planning and illegal expansion of agriculture into wildlife areas – continues to cause conflict.
For a young boy to survive such a treacherous environment for an extended five-day period was nothing short of a miracle; truly astonishing.
Opposition Mashonaland West proportional representation MP, Mutsa Murombedzi wrote on social media (unedited):
“A boy missing & found in Matusadonha game park: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 & 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 23km from home, sleeping on a rocky perch, amidst roaring lions, passing elephants, eating wild fruits and just the unforgiving wild i too much for an 8 year old.
“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.”
