A 7-year-old boy who went missing for five days has been found alive in a wildlife park in northern Zimbabwe, known for its large cats and other wild animals. Officials confirmed that he survived by eating wild fruits and drinking water from a hole he dug along the dry riverbank.
The child was reported missing from his rural village home on December 27, prompting a joint search operation involving park rangers, police, and local community members. However, heavy rainfall complicated the search efforts, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks).
Footprints were discovered in Matusadona National Park on December 30, leading to the child’s successful rescue in the early morning hours of December 31. ZimParks stated, “Remarkably, it is estimated that he walked through the harsh terrain of the lion-infested Matusadona National Park for 49 kilometers (30 miles) from his village to the location where he was found.”
Upon his rescue, the boy was reunited with his family and taken to a local clinic for initial examinations, later being transferred to a hospital for further medical evaluation.
Mutsa Murombedzi, a member of the Zimbabwean Parliament representing Mashonaland West, posted on X that the boy was “very frail” upon rescue and required an IV drip. She credited his survival to a technique learned in drought-prone areas: digging a hole in the dry riverbank to access underground water.
Murombedzi expressed gratitude to the brave park rangers and local community members who tirelessly searched for the boy, highlighting the community’s united efforts and hope. “This is a testament to the power of unity, hope, prayer, and perseverance,” she wrote.
Matusadona National Park spans approximately 1,470 square kilometers (570 square miles) and historically supported a high density of lions, along with a diverse range of other wildlife, including elephants and black rhinos, according to the nonprofit African Parks. Despite past challenges, the park continues to host a healthy variety of mammal species, contributing to its rich biodiversity.
Credit: ABC News
