Gracie the giraffe, who had been missing for nearly two weeks from a private game ranch in rural Texas, has been found safe, according to reports on Tuesday. The reticulated giraffe, native to several eastern African countries, wandered off from Cedar Hollow Ranch in Leakey, a town of about 700 residents located a two-hour drive west of San Antonio.
Community Search and Social Media Frenzy
During her absence, Gracie became a local celebrity, with word spreading quickly online. The Real County Sheriff's Office issued a news release appealing for citizens to keep an eye out for the roving giraffe. The advisory included a detailed list of distinguishing features, notably her rounded ears, to avoid confusion with any other wandering long-necked animals. One observer on X humorously noted, "They gave a description, 'Gracie has rounded ears'. So if you spot a giraffe out and about in the Texas hill country, check its ears first before calling it in. Wouldn't want to flood the hotline with mistaken identity."
Details of the Disappearance
Vick Jones, the ranch's manager, told the New York Times that Gracie, between three-and-a-half and four years old, wandered off into hilly grassland when she "came down on the wrong side of the gate" after reaching up to eat leaves from a tree. Jones noted, "This giraffe, like none of the others ever did, she would walk around." He offered a $5,000 reward and deployed helicopters and drones in the search, according to San Antonio's CBS News affiliate KENS.
Sheriff's Response and Safety Concerns
Real County Sheriff Nathan Johnson told KENS that he initially chuckled upon receiving the missing giraffe report but took the case seriously. "It found a way outside of the high game fence and after that it's been on a fling just enjoying the more rugged parts of Real county," he said. Johnson expressed concern about predators: "We have mountain lions, we have other animals, a lot of coyotes, and there are predators out that can harm her, although she's a big animal."
Safe Return Announced
The news of Gracie's safe return came late Tuesday via a short report on another San Antonio news station's website, stating, "The giraffe that disappeared from a ranch in Leakey has been found alive." No details were provided on the location or circumstances of her discovery, other than that she was found "a little farther out than expected" from the ranch. The Guardian has contacted the Real County Sheriff and Cedar Hollow Ranch for comment.
