The search for the wolf ‘Neukgu’ that escaped from Daejeon O-World has entered day six, but there have been no clear results. The search authorities are preparing for the possibility of a prolonged operation and are considering changing their methods.

On the 13th, the Daejeon City Government and the Daejeon Fire Headquarters, together with related agencies including the military·police, deployed about 120 personnel and more than 10 drones to search the Bomunsan area near O-World in Sajeong-dong, Jung District, where Neukgu is presumed to be staying. Although the search has continued for six days since Neukgu escaped from the O-World zoo wolf safari on the 8th, there have been no meaningful results to pinpoint its location.

Neukgu was last caught on camera at around 1:30 a.m. on the 9th. Despite continued searching since then, no additional location has been confirmed. There is cautious speculation that Neukgu may already have slipped through the search net, but the authorities still believe it is likely within the search area set at a radius of 6㎞, and are continuing the operation.

However, they judge that if the search becomes prolonged, it will be difficult to guarantee the survival of Neukgu, and they are considering changing the method. Immediately after the escape, the search authorities mobilized personnel, but from the third day they minimized manpower and focused on locating it using equipment such as drones, following expert views that large-scale mobilization could agitate a wolf in an unstable state.

Mun Chang-yong, Director of the Environmental Bureau of Daejeon City, said, “There is still no conclusive evidence that it has left the area, so we are continuing to check the current search locations, but if there is no meaningful change in the situation, we plan to discuss with experts how to proceed with the search from a long-term perspective,” and added, “First, we will expand trace surveys, such as checking footprints and droppings, and seek expert opinions based on the results.”

The search authorities estimate that Neukgu can survive for about two weeks without feeding. To capture it within that period, they are considering launching a more proactive capture operation around the one-week mark by increasing search personnel and taking other measures.

Director Mun said, “We are gradually increasing search personnel, but for now we are maintaining a search posture that avoids provoking (Neukgu) as much as possible,” and added, “At an appropriate point, it will be necessary to mobilize more personnel and equipment to conduct a large-scale search over a wider area.”

The authorities are also analyzing surrounding closed-circuit (CC)TV footage in case Neukgu has left the current search area. Since the last sighting on the 9th, they have secured and are reviewing footage from 33 CCTV cameras installed in surrounding areas.

Director Mun stated, “The fact that it has not yet been found suggests two possibilities: that it is hiding (in the mountains) or that it has moved beyond the range we are searching,” and added, “We do not think it left the mountains and entered the city, but in case it moved to the outskirts during a time window we did not capture, we plan to check nearby CCTV as quickly as possible.”