Supoj Methapiwat, director of the zoo's animal management office, said Hlong died suddenly last week, three days after returning from the animal hospital of Chiang Mai University's faculty of veterinary science.

The wolf's condition had been improving, prompting the zoo to plan to display it for a few days, he added.

Supoj said the zoo did not inform the public about its death at the time because it initially regarded it a normal occurrence and decided to wait for an autopsy result.

The animal hospital will today (THURSDAY) submit the autopsy result to the zoo. The wolf's body will then be preserved and stuffed for study purposes.

Animal hospital director Wanna Suriyasathaporn said Hlong was admitted on August 9 and treated for pneumonia and diarrhoea before being returned to the zoo's care. The wolf's body was taken to the hospital on August 16 for autopsy.

Hlong, one of six grey wolves bought from the Czech Republic, was on the loose for more than a month before being recaptured on August 5 by villagers armed with anaesthetic guns and nets.

Meanwhile, Wildlife Fund Thailand secretarygeneral Surapol Duangkhae urged zoo executives to reveal whether any other animals were on the loose and to give a figure for how many animals were registered to the zoo.

A resident in nearby tambon Mae Hia said many villagers claimed to spot grey wolves in different locations at the same time, raising suspicions there were more of these carnivores on the loose.

However, no more chicken deaths had been reported since Hlong's recapture, he said, but villagers remained cautious and were guarding their neighbourhoods.

The Nation