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Searchers switch tactics as fugitive wolf evades capture for third day

Published: 10 Apr. 2026, 15:37

Fire authorities search for the escaped wolf at O-World in Daejeon on April 8. [DAEJEON FIRE HEADQUARTERS]

Fire authorities and police stepped up operations on Wednesday to track and capture a wolf that escaped from a zoo in Daejeon as the search for the fugitive canine entered its third day.

Search personnel deployed 13 drones — eight equipped with high-resolution thermal imaging cameras and five standard units — before sunrise on Friday to locate the animal, yet to no avail.

The wolf, named Neukgu, escaped from its compound at the zoo inside the O-World theme park in Jung District, Daejeon, at around 9:15 a.m. Wednesday. Neukgu got out by digging beneath the enclosure fence, the zoo said.

Search efforts have focused on the wooded area surrounding O-World, which has been divided into five zones.

The wolf was spotted twice on Wednesday. It was later detected at night in the hills behind the zoo using thermal-imaging cameras.

“There are many unverified reports, so we plan to dispatch teams only after confirmation by veterinarians and experts,” fire authorities stated.

Authorities believe the wolf is likely roaming the hills near O-World due to its homing instinct, an animal's natural ability to return to a familiar location. However, since it has not eaten for three days, officials said it may be stressed and fatigued, which could reduce its movement.

Five luring devices containing food have been placed around the area. The wolf reportedly ate two chickens just before its escape.

About 300 personnel have been mobilized to form a human perimeter around the five zones. Additionally, 22 traps were installed along the fencing in the surrounding hills.

Firefighters use a drone to search for the escaped wolf at O-World in Daejeon on the morning of April 9, the second day after the animal escaped. [YONHAP]

To encourage the wolf’s return, the zoo has been playing audio recordings of howling from the wolves with which Neukgu used to live since Thursday morning.

The zoo's visitor announcement recordings, which the wolf has heard since birth in January 2024, are also being played.

Authorities are using a base-centered capture approach, meaning they will set up controlled positions, or bases, such as traps, bait points, or perimeter lines and wait to capture the animal when it returns or enters those zones, rather than actively chasing it. The strategy shift follows expert advice to avoid provoking the animal while leveraging its instinct to return.

“Wolves are pack animals, so it will likely try to return to its group,” experts said. “If chased too aggressively, it may perceive it as a threat and go further into hiding out of fear.”

Drone teams conducted overnight searches using five thermal imaging cameras until 2 a.m. Thursday, but the wolf’s location remains unknown. Rainfall has intermittently disrupted drone operations and the deployment of tracking dogs. Accumulated precipitation reached 25.5 millimeters (1 inch) as of 8 a.m. Friday.

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

Authorities investigated following reports of wolf sightings at 9:47 p.m. Thursday in Mokdal-dong and at 10:25 p.m. in Geum-dong, but found nothing.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM BANG-HYUN [[email protected]]