Neukgu's Tense 10 Days from Escape to Capture... Calls for "Measures to Prevent Recurrence"

The wolf named "Neukgu," which had escaped from Daejeon O-World, was safely captured after ten days on the loose. Given that a wolf managed to tear through the zoo fence and escape, there are calls for follow-up measures. Animal protection groups are also urging a comprehensive review of domestic zoo management practices and overall wildlife management systems.

Captured wolfdog. Jangwoo Lee, Mayor of Daejeon SNS

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According to Yonhap News on April 17, Neukgu was captured at around 12:44 a.m. near the Anyoung IC waterway. This was ten days after Neukgu escaped from Daejeon O-World. At the time of capture, Neukgu's pulse and body temperature were normal; although he appeared somewhat exhausted, his overall health was good. The search authorities transported Neukgu back to O-World after the capture.

Previously, on the afternoon of the previous day at around 5:30 p.m., the search authorities received a report of a wolf sighted near Ppuri Park in Chimsan-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon, and began searching the area. At 9:54 p.m., they encountered an animal presumed to be the wolf nearby, but it was identified as a badger and a new search was initiated. At 11:45 p.m., the search team discovered the real Neukgu near Anyoung IC and began the capture operation about 30 minutes later.

The search team, under the supervision of a veterinarian, used a tranquilizer gun to capture Neukgu alive. Although Neukgu was hit with the tranquilizer dart, he staggered and attempted to flee for about five minutes before eventually falling into the nearby waterway, where he was captured.

On the morning of April 8 at approximately 9:18 a.m., Neukgu escaped from Daejeon O-World safari by digging under the iron fence. Based on tips from citizens, the search authorities located Neukgu around 12:00 a.m. on April 14, six days after the escape, and launched the first capture operation. However, Neukgu broke through the human perimeter and fled, rendering the attempt unsuccessful. Subsequently, the search authorities tracked Neukgu using around ten drones and by processing hundreds of reports and tips.

The moment Neugoo was captured. Photo by Yonhap News Agency, Daejeon City

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Although Neukgu has safely returned to the zoo, there are calls to inspect the animal management and operational systems at the zoo. Jangwoo Lee, Mayor of Daejeon, posted on his social network service (SNS) account on April 17, "I would like to thank the citizens of Daejeon and everyone who supported Neukgu's safe return," and added, "We will make efforts to establish measures for animal welfare and citizen safety in the O-World renovation process to prevent such incidents from happening again and to promote animal care."

Regarding the 2-meter-high outer perimeter fence of the zoo from which Neukgu escaped, he explained, "It was intended to prevent visitors from entering through unauthorized areas," and continued, "Although we have not determined exactly where the wolf escaped, we will conduct expert consultations and analyze the animal's characteristics to implement second and third layers of fencing."

Local environmental groups are also calling for a review of the animal management system. The Daejeon Environmental Movement Federation and the Daejeon-Chungnam Green Alliance issued a statement saying, "We welcome that Neukgu was captured safely and not killed," but also pointed out, "It is a clear limitation that similar incidents have been repeated without fundamental changes since the killing of the puma 'Porongi' in the past."

They added, "Neukgu did not jump over the fence but escaped by digging under it, which reveals the natural burrowing behavior of the species," and continued, "This shows that the captive environment does not sufficiently reflect the animals' behavioral characteristics and wild instincts. There needs to be a comprehensive review of the current husbandry practices that suppress animals' natural instincts."

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