South Korea | End of run for a wolf escaped from a zoo

This young male, named Neukgu, left his enclosure in the city of Daejeon (center) on April 8. The authorities then deployed hundreds of agents, drones and thermal cameras to find the fugitive, who remained elusive despite several reports.

He was finally captured early Friday morning. “Welcome back, #Neukgu!” “, greeted the municipality of Daejeon on X.

Authorities captured the 30kg canine by firing a tranquilizer dart after the animal was reported in a park in Daejeon, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing municipal officials.

The municipality published on X photos of the wolf sleeping on an examination table, its coat shaggy and with a muzzle. “Veterinary examination results: pulse and body temperature are all normal,” the publication states.

Neukgu, born in 2024, managed to escape by digging under his enclosure and damaging a fence.

His escape led a local primary school to close its doors for security reasons.

Animal rights activists have called for protection measures after the wolf’s return. “The fact that Neukgu returned to his cage at the zoo does not mean that the incident had a happy ending,” the Korea Animal Welfare Association said in a statement.

After the canine’s escape, an image purporting to show a light brown wolf at an intersection in Daejeon was widely distributed by the municipality and several major media outlets. The image was generated by artificial intelligence.

An AFP analysis confirmed that the image was manipulated. AFP initially relayed the image before removing it.