Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa-Mashonaland West Bureau
The story of Tinotenda Pudu, a seven-year-old boy from Chief Nebiri’s Village South of Kariba Dam, lost in Matusadonna National Park shows the exceptional skills and dedication of the ZimParks rangers who managed to track him down despite the rains that had all but obliterated his tracks and the exceptional good sense and survival skills of the little boy who managed to find shelter on a rock promontory.
On December 27 last year, Tino, as he is affectionately known, vanished into the vast game park, a place revered and feared in equal measure with local communities seeing it as sacred to Nyaminyami, the river god.
For centuries, the park has been both a sanctuary for wildlife and a web for those who dare to wander too deep.
Many who enter are never seen again, swallowed by the dense thickets and the predators.
But Tino’s story defies the odds.
After five harrowing days, the boy emerged from this lion-infested wilderness not only alive, but untouched by harm.
The details of his survival are both humbling and awe-inspiring.
Alone in a wilderness teeming with lions, cheetahs, elephants, and venomous snakes, Tino displayed an instinct and resilience that belied his tender years.
He foraged for wild fruits, dug small holes near the riverbanks to drink from the earth’s hidden waters, and found refuge on rocky outcrops, safe from prowling predators.
The land, it seems, cradled him as if it recognised one of its own.
His discovery, 49 kilometres from his village, was no small feat.
The search party, comprising Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) rangers, local villagers, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, battled relentless rains that washed away his footprints, making the task seem insurmountable.
Yet, they pressed on, guided by determination. On Christmas Eve, their efforts bore fruit when they found Tino in the Sakata Valley area of Matusadonha National Park.
Weak but alive, he was carried back to his family, a living testament to human endurance.
The local community, led by Chief Nebiri, performed traditional rituals, beating drums day and night in an attempt to call Tino back from the wilderness.
The drums, they believed, would guide his spirit home.
While their efforts seemed in vain at first, the boy’s safe return has only deepened their faith in the sacredness of the land and the benevolence of its guardians.
Chief Nebiri, speaking with a mixture of solemnity and gratitude, acknowledged the park’s otherworldly nature.
“This is not the first time someone has wandered into the park and disappeared,” he said.
“But Tino’s return is a blessing, a sign that the gods were watching over him.”
He commended the search team, whose tireless efforts bridged the human and spiritual realms, bringing the boy back to the arms of his family.
Kariba district development coordinator, Mr Desmond Anele Gumbochuma, also reflected on the sacredness of Matusadonha Game Park.
“This park is not just a home to wildlife. It is a land of mysteries, a place where the line between the natural and the supernatural blurs,” he said.
He urged the community to respect its boundaries, warning of the dangers it harbours, not just from predators but from forces beyond human comprehension.
ZimParks spokesperson, Mr Tinashe Farawo, detailed the challenges faced during the operation.
“The heavy rains made it difficult to track his footprints, but our team persisted. Finding him alive in such conditions is a testament to both the skill of our rangers and the resilience of the human spirit,” he said.
He marvelled at how the boy survived in one of Africa’s harshest terrains, a park spanning over 1,470 square kilometres and home to an estimated 40 lions, one of the densest lion populations on the continent.
Following his rescue, Tino was taken to a local clinic for preliminary examinations before being transferred to Siakobvu Hospital for further care. Physically, he bore no signs of harm.
For now, Tino’s story stands as a beacon of hope and wonder—a reminder that even in the darkest, most treacherous of places, the light of the human spirit can endure.
It is a tale that transcends the ordinary, touching the realms of myth and legend, and leaving all who hear it with a profound sense of awe. Whether his survival was a stroke of luck, the result of sheer determination, or the work of divine intervention, one thing is certain, Tino Pudu is no ordinary boy, and Matusadonha is no ordinary place.
