Social media in South Korea erupted with joy when a two-year-old male wolf named Neukgu was found and safely recaptured on April 17th.
The wolf Neukgu escaped from O-World Zoo in Daejeon on April 8 after digging its way out of its enclosure, raising concerns about its survival in the wild and the risk of being shot during a recapture.
The incident attracted nationwide attention in South Korea, to the point that President Lee Jae Myung had to issue a statement to reassure the public, saying that police, firefighters, and the military were coordinating to ensure the animal was captured alive.
Earlier this week, authorities had spotted Neukgu on a mountain near the zoo but were unable to subdue him. A driver also recorded footage of the wolf running on a mountain road at night, further drawing attention to the animal.
According to local authorities, Neukgu was eventually found on a hill near the highway and tranquilized after hours of searching with the help of drones, police, rescue workers, and veterinarians.
After being returned to the zoo, the animal's health stabilized. Veterinarians performed an endoscopy to remove a fishhook from its stomach, but found no other serious problems.
The Daejeon authorities posted a video showing rescue workers pulling Neukgu out of the ditch and giving him a medical check-up. On social media, many people sent congratulatory messages such as "Welcome back" or "It's very dangerous out there."
Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo expressed his gratitude to the public for their support during the search operation.
Neukgu was born in 2024 at the zoo, belonging to the third generation of wolves brought from Russia in 2008 as part of a effort to revive a species that had become extinct in South Korea since the 1960s.
O-World management said the wolf would receive individual care until it fully recovered. The zoo is currently closed for a security review following the incident and the reopening date has not yet been determined.