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Wolf escapes from Daejeon zoo, search operations underway

Published: 08 Apr. 2026, 14:22 Updated: 08 Apr. 2026, 17:21

A wolf that escaped from a nearby theme park roams the streets of Daejeon on April 8. [DAEJEON FIRE HEADQUARTERS]

Authorities are searching for a wolf that escaped from Daejeon's O-World theme park on Wednesday morning.

At 9:30 a.m., the Daejeon Metropolitan City government sent out an emergency alert to inform people of the search and capture operation within the zoo’s compound. The theme park houses several rides and a zoo.

O-World reported the wolf’s escape to fire authorities at approximately 10:24 a.m. on the same day.

Along with O-World staffers, fire authorities have deployed 11 personnel to search for the wolf on the loose using nets.

A wolf wanders an urban area of Daejeon on April 8. [DAEJEON FIRE HEADQUARTERS]

According to O-World, the escaped wolf is two years old and was raised in captivity. It is reported to have escaped while moving into a feeding ground shared by other animals. Although O-World said the wolf was presumed to still be inside the zoo, it was spotted outside the theme park later that day, according to Daejeon Fire Headquarters.

At the time of the escape, O-World immediately evacuated all visitors and blocked further entry. No injuries have been reported so far.

In a notice on its website, O-World said, “Operations are suspended today [on April 8] due to internal circumstances to ensure customer safety and smooth management.” It added that the schedule for resuming normal operations will be announced at a later date.