Escaped wolf Neukgu returned to South Korean zoo after nine-day search involving thermal imaging drones

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A wolf who escaped aSouth Korean zoonine days ago, captivating international attention, has been found and safely returned.

Neukgu burrowed his way out of the O-World zoo and theme park in Daejeon, south of Seoul, April 8.

The search for Neukgu kept the country on edge, and many worried about the 2-year-old wolf eight years after a puma named Bbo-rong was shot and killed hours after it escaped from the same zoo.

Neukgu was seen several times before he was captured, including on surveillance video.

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Split of surveillance photo of Neukgu and him at the vet

Neukgu was on the run for nine days before he was captured.(Daejeon Municipality via AP;Daejeon City Corporation/Reuters)

He was also seen near a highway nearly 3 miles from the zoo, a zoo official said.

The animal was captured just after midnight Friday after he was shot by a veterinarian using a tranquilizer gun.

His vital signs were normal after a health check, but a fishhook was removed from his stomach, zoo officials said.

Neukgu after he was captured.(Daejeon City Corporation/Reuters)

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Neukgu, born in captivity in 2024, is part of abreeding programto bring up the numbers of the Korean wolf, which is considered extinct in the wild.

Veterinarian examining male wolf named Neukgu at Daejeon O-World theme park

A veterinarian examines the condition of a male wolf named Neukgu at Daejeon O-World theme park in Daejeon, South Korea, April 17, 2026.(Daejeon Municipality/AP)

He is of the third generation of wolves brought to South Koreafrom Russiato reintroduce an animal similar to the Korean wolf, which went extinct in the 1960s.

Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo expressed his gratitude to those involved in the search for bringing Neukgu back safely and pledged on Facebook to “prepare measures for animal welfare and civil safety in the process of reorganising (the zoo).”

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The extensive search includeddrones with thermal image cameras.

Neukgu escaped an earlier attempt at capture when he evaded a perimeter set for him on a mountain near the zoo.

South Koreans were enthralled by Neukgu’s escape, with some calling him an “honorary ambassador for the zoo.” He even sparked an eponymous cryptocurrency meme.

Veterinarians examining male wolf Neukgu at Daejeon O-World theme park

Veterinarians and staff examine Neukgu at Daejeon O-World theme park in Daejeon, South Korea, April 17, 2026.(Daejeon Municipality/AP)

Fans of the wolf lit up social media after his rescue, writing, “welcome back” and “Neukgu, it’s dangerous outside the house.”

After Neukgu’s escape last week, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung wrote on X, “Currently, the police, fire services, and military are mobilizing their full resources to ensure a safe capture and return.I sincerely hope that no casualties occur, and I pray that Neukgu, too, returns safely and unharmed.”

O-World remains closed after Neukgu’s return, and it faces scrutiny after as series of animal escapes.A nearby elementary school also briefly closed after the wolf’s escape for safety reasons.

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Lee Kwan Jong, director of O-World, said Neukgu will be kept separate from the other animals until he has recovered.

Zoo officials said they aren’t sure when O-World will reopen as they review security measures, and the director added that Neukgu’s health will take precedence.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.