Elusive wolf in South Korea returned to zoo after nine days on the run

A wolf that escaped from a zoo in the South Korean city of Daejeon was recaptured on Friday, April 17, after nine days on the run, bringing to a close a saga that gripped the public as the elusive animal evaded earlier capture attempts.

After a number of sightings following the escape of the 2-year-old male wolf, the animal, named Neukgu, was spotted near a highway interchange about 4 km (2.5 miles) from the zoo on Thursday, according to a zoo official.

A search team then successfully recaptured Neukgu at 12:44 a.m. on Friday (1544 GMT on Thursday) using a tranquilizer gun operated by a veterinarian.

Neukgu was transported back to the O-World zoo and was undergoing a health check, the official said, adding his vital signs were normal though vets found and removed a fishing hook from his stomach. The zoo and an associated theme park were closed after his escape and will take some time to reopen, the official said. — Reuters