South Koreans breathe sighs of relief as escaped wolf is returned to zoo safely | South Korea
The internet in South Korea erupted into celebration after the two-year-old wolf that escaped from the zoo was safely captured following a nine-day search that gripped the nation and turned the animal into a national celebrity.
The male wolf, named Neukgu, emerged from his enclosure at the O-World zoo in Daejeon on April 8. Animal rights activists questioned whether the wolf could survive outside the zoo and were also concerned that it could be killed during capture, as happened to a cougar that escaped from the same zoo in 2018.
Intense national concern even led South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to issue a statement reassuring the public that police, fire officials and the military were doing their best to capture the wolf alive.
Earlier in the week, authorities nearly captured Neukgu after spotting him on a mountain near the zoo, but he escaped from a perimeter set up by rescuers. A motorist also spotted the wolf and posted a video of it running down a dark mountain road, illuminated by the headlights of a vehicle following behind.
Neukgu was found and tranquilized on a hill near a highway early Friday after an hours-long search involving drones, police, emergency workers and veterinarians, according to city and zoo officials. He was in stable condition after being taken back to the zoo, where veterinarians used binoculars to remove the fishhook from his stomach but found no other significant health problems.
Daejeon officials posted social media videos showing rescuers pulling the lame wolf from a ditch and placing it in a carrier, and the animal receiving a medical examination at the zoo.
Social media was flooded with congratulatory posts, including messages saying “welcome back” and “Neukgu, it’s dangerous outside the house.” Daejeon mayor Lee Jang-woo expressed his “deepest gratitude to the citizens of Daejeon, as well as the entire country, for your support in ensuring the safe return of Neukgu” in a Facebook post.
Neukgu, born at the zoo in 2024, is the third-generation descendant of a group brought from Russia in 2008 as part of a project to reintroduce wolves similar to those that lived in the wild in Korea before going extinct in the 1960s.
O-World’s manager, Lee Kwan Jong, said Neukgu will be kept in a separate area from other animals and will receive care until he is fully recovered and stable.
The zoo’s management, which had been criticized for a series of animal escapes, closed the facility following the Neukgu outbreak. It was stated that it has not yet been decided when the zoo will reopen.
Lee Kwan Jong said that the zoo, which is reviewing security measures, will prioritize Neukgu’s recovery. The wolf is expected to attract great attention when the zoo reopens.
