South Korean Wolf Neukgu Captured Safely After Nine-Day Manhunt
Neukgu, the two-year-old wolf whose dramatic escape from a South Korean zoo captivated the entire nation, has finally been caught after a relentless nine-day pursuit, BBC reports.
The Daejeon city government confirmed that the runaway animal was secured near an expressway at 00:44 local time on Friday. Following a prompt veterinary assessment, officials reported that his pulse and body temperature were completely normal.
A game of cat and mouse
Hundreds of emergency workers had been dispatched to track down the missing canine over the past week. Rescuers came agonisingly close to securing him on several occasions, but the slippery creature managed to dart away into the shadows just as the net seemed to be closing in.
Authorities thought they had a breakthrough earlier in the week when fire crews received a Monday night report of a sighting on a mountain roughly 2km (1.2 miles) from the O-World zoo and theme park.
Footage of the wolf trotting down a pitch-black road, illuminated only by a vehicle’s headlights, also circulated widely across social media. While this sparked an intense search mission, the animal once again managed to evade capture.
Neukgu’s impressive evasion skills quickly turned him into an internet sensation. He even inspired a new cryptocurrency meme coin, with its creators dubbing the animal a «symbol of independence» and the «wolf that wouldn’t stay caged».
Survival concerns and presidential prayers
Born in 2024, the wolf is a crucial part of a specialist conservation programme at O-World aimed at restoring the Korean wolf population, a species now considered entirely extinct in the wild. Because of his life in captivity, experts harboured serious doubts about his ability to survive and forage in an unnatural environment.
Animal welfare charities also voiced deep concerns that Neukgu might be lethally shot during the hunt. These fears were rooted in recent history, as a puma named Porongi was shot dead after escaping from the exact same facility in 2018. The situation gained such national prominence that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung took to social media to publicly pray for the wolf’s safe return.
Drone tracking and safe recovery
Those widespread anxieties were finally laid to rest on Thursday evening. Following a civilian tip-off, rescue teams descended on the Anyeong-dong district. Officials stated the wolf was moving incredibly fast, but they managed to shoot him in the thigh with a tranquilliser dart from a distance of 20 metres. Teams then tracked his movements using a drone for approximately six minutes until the sedative took effect.
Footage released by the Daejeon government showed the limp animal being carefully hauled into a transport crate by rescuers. Subsequent photographs showed a sedated Neukgu receiving comprehensive medical care back at the zoo.
Vets noted that he looked well-fed and had not lost a significant amount of weight during his time on the run. However, medical staff did discover a swallowed fishing hook inside his stomach which had to be carefully extracted via an endoscopic procedure.
«Thank you to everyone who worked hard to bring Neukgu home,» the Daejeon city government posted online following the successful rescue. «To everyone who worried about Neukgu’s safety and cheered us on, thank you all so much.»
