Arabic version: تم القبض على ذئب حديقة الحيوان الهارب بعد بحث دام تسعة أيام في كوريا الجنوبية
According to BBC News,
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 in Daejeon at 00:44 local time on Friday, as confirmed by the government of Daejeon.
Hundreds of rescue officials had been deployed to find Neukgu. The wolf had previously eluded capture multiple times, even after being spotted on a mountain about 2 kilometers from the zoo.
Upon his capture, Neukgu underwent a medical examination, which revealed that his pulse and body temperature were normal. Authorities noted that he had not lost much weight and appeared to have been eating well. However, a fishing hook was discovered in his stomach and subsequently removed through endoscopic surgery.
The search for Neukgu had garnered significant public interest, with even South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressing concern for the animal’s safety. The wolf’s escape and subsequent capture sparked a wave of social media activity, including the creation of a meme coin inspired by Neukgu’s story, described as a “symbol of independence.”
After being tranquillized and monitored via drone, Neukgu was safely returned to the zoo where he is part of a conservation program aimed at restoring the Korean wolf population, which has become extinct in the wild. The city government of Daejeon thanked the public for their support during the search and expressed relief at Neukgu’s safe return.
