Escaped Zoo Wolf Neukgu Captured After Nine-Day Search

A two-year-old male wolf named Neukgu escaped from the OWorld zoo in Daejeon, South Korea, on April 8 by burrowing under the fence of its enclosure, prompting a nine-day search involving hundreds of police, firefighters, military personnel, drones, and veterinarians. The animal, part of a conservation program to restore the Korean wolf species extinct in the wild since the 1960s, was safely captured early Friday morning near the Anyeong Interchange on the Daejeon Southern Ring Expressway and returned to the zoo.

Officials at the zoo discovered the escape during a routine morning inspection, confirmed by CCTV footage showing Neukgu digging through the soil beneath the fence. The incident led to the immediate closure of the zoo and a nearby elementary school as a precaution against potential risks to public safety. Search teams deployed thermal imaging drones, traps, and loudspeakers broadcasting familiar zoo sounds in hopes of luring the wolf back. Authorities received numerous public tips, including sightings reported by residents and even children mistaking other animals for Neukgu.

Over the course of the search, Neukgu was spotted several times but repeatedly evaded capture....