▲ Neukgu lays anesthetized at Daejeon O-World theme park in the central city on April 17, 2026, following his capture, in this photo provided by the Daejeon metropolitan government. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) wolf-capture

(LEAD) Wolf captured, returned to zoo 9 days after escape

(ATTN: UPDATES with press briefing, other details; ADDS video)

DAEJEON, April 17 (Yonhap) -- A young wolf that broke out of a zoo in the central city of Daejeon was captured Friday, nine days after its escape, and returned to its enclosure, city officials said.

The wolf, named Neukgu, was captured at 12:44 a.m. near an interchange in the city some 140 kilometers south of Seoul and taken to the zoo inside the Daejeon O-World theme park, according to the officials.

Search authorities received a tip around 5:30 p.m. Thursday that the wolf was seen near a park in the city and located him hours later near the interchange.

Officials shot Neukgu with a tranquilizer dart and captured him alive.

"We have safely moved him to O-World," a search official said. "He is well so far, and we are monitoring him until he wakes up from anesthesia."

Neukgu dug out of his enclosure on April 8, leading to an extensive search involving military drones and the police, as well as widespread media coverage.

He was spotted several times following his escape but disappeared each time before being caught.

At a press briefing later in the day, a Daejeon metropolitan government official said a 2.6-centimeter-long fish hook was discovered by X-ray inside the wolf's stomach, along with a leaf and fish bones.

"We safely removed (the hook) due to the risk of perforation," the official said, adding he has been recovering.

Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo thanked citizens and the nation as a whole for rooting for Neukgu's return.

"I also sincerely thank the firefighters, police officers, public officials, volunteers, animal protection and environmental groups, and experts who helped the capture operations and apologize to the citizens who worried about their safety," he wrote on social media.

"I will work to promote a love for animals by coming up with measures for animal welfare and citizens' safety in O-World's reorganization process so that such incidents do not recur."

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[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]