South Korea's Elusive Wolf Captured After Nine-Day Chase

Fri Apr 17 2026 11:58:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Neukgu, a two-year-old wolf who escaped from a South Korean zoo, was located and captured after a lengthy search operation that captivated the nation.

After a nine-day hunt capturing the hearts of many, Neukgu, a two-year-old wolf that escaped from a zoo in Daejeon, South Korea, was successfully caught near an expressway. Authorities reported that he was tranquilized and found to have normal health indicators. This incident has raised concerns about animal safety during capture, spurring discussions about wildlife conservation.

Neukgu, the two-year-old wolf who broke loose from a South Korean zoo and captured the nation's attention, has finally been captured following a nine-day-long search.

Neukgu was captured near an expressway on Friday at 00:44 local time (16:44 GMT), according to the government of Daejeon, the central city where his zoo was located.

Upon a medical examination, Neukgu's pulse and body temperature were normal, authorities said.

Hundreds of rescue officials had been deployed to find the wolf. There were several close encounters during the search, but each time he managed to evade capture.

Authorities had nearly caught him earlier this week when the local fire department received a report of his sighting on a mountain about 2 km away from O-World, the zoo and theme park from which he had escaped. A video went viral showing the wolf scampering in the dark, illuminated by vehicle headlights.

The public's attention swelled during the search, turning Neukgu into a symbol of independence, inspiring even a meme coin dubbed as the 'wolf that wouldn't stay caged'.

As concerns mounted about his safety, animal rights groups expressed fears that he might be harmed during the capture. Similar fears emerged from a past incident involving a puma named Porongi that was killed during a capture attempt.

South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung even publicly prayed for Neukgu's safe return on social media, showcasing the wide emotional concern shared among citizens.

Neukgu was ultimately captured following a tip-off, where authorities used a tranquillizer gun from 20 meters away before safely transporting him back to the zoo, monitored closely via drone.

After arriving back, officials announced that Neukgu had not lost much weight and appeared healthy aside from the unexpected finding of a fishing hook in his stomach, which was subsequently removed through endoscopic surgery.

The city government expressed gratitude towards the large teams of people who contributed to the capture effort and thanked the public for their concern and support during the search.