The search to find the wolf ‘Neukgu’ that escaped from the Daejeon O-World Zoo has continued into its fifth day, but his whereabouts remain unknown. Because Neukgu lacks a wild hunting instinct, if the search is prolonged, there is a risk that he could starve to death.

On the 12th, Daejeon City and the Daejeon Fire Headquarters, together with related agencies including the police·military, mobilized about 100 personnel and equipment such as drones and continued the search focusing on the low mountains near O-World in Sajeong-dong, Jung-gu. Neukgu is an adult male wolf born in 2024; on the 8th, he slipped out of the O-World Zoo wolf safari and escaped into nearby hills.

Since the 11th, the search authorities have expanded the search area and conducted night searches using drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras. However, Neukgu has not been sighted anywhere. He was last confirmed at 1:30 a.m. on the 9th, the day after the escape. No trace has been confirmed for more than three days since then.

Taking into account the homing instinct of wolves, the authorities judge that Neukgu has not yet left the search area set within a radius of 6㎞.

Even if Neukgu is within the search area, as the fifth day since the escape begins, if hunger reduces his movement, confirming his location through the search may become more difficult. It is also possible that he has found a hideout and is lying low in the hills.

A Daejeon City official said, “Even inside the enclosure, Neukgu sometimes creates a den and does not come out, and in those cases keepers fail to find him” and added, “Since the escaped Neukgu is now in an unfamiliar situation, if he has dug in (to hide his body), detection is difficult and the search could become prolonged.”

The search authorities have scattered bait along expected routes of movement for Neukgu and have set up capture traps, but no movement has been detected yet.

The authorities are also continuing the search without ruling out the possibility that Neukgu broke through the cordon. However, because he has been raised only inside the zoo since birth and is sensitive to the external environment, the likelihood of him moving down toward roads or residential areas is low.

On the 11th, seven reports were received from Sajeong-dong, where O-World is located, and from Yongjeon-dong·In-dong in Dong-gu, stating “I saw a wolf,” but all were mistaken reports.

The day before escaping the zoo, Neukgu ate two chickens as his last meal. A city official said, “According to experts, if Neukgu can drink only water, he can endure for about two weeks” and added, “If he cannot feed for a long period, his ability to survive in the hills cannot be assured.”

Meanwhile, the city also sent a safety text to citizens, saying, “The search for the wolf that escaped O-World is continuing” and “To protect citizens and facilitate the search, access near Bomunsan is restricted, and if you find him, please report to 119.”