Have You Seen Gracie? A Giraffe Is on the Loose in Texas
Somewhere in the rugged canyons of the Texas Hill Country, a young giraffe named Gracie is on the loose — and as of Wednesday morning, nobody has found her.
Gracie, a 3- to 4-year-old reticulated giraffe, escaped from Cedar Hollow Ranch near Leakey, Texas, on Monday, June 22, after wandering into an unfamiliar part of the property and slipping through an 8-foot-tall gate enclosure onto the other side. She was last spotted on a game camera west of Leakey, a small city roughly 100 miles northwest of San Antonio.
The ranch's owner is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to her safe capture and return.
How She Got Out
Vick Jones, who manages Cedar Hollow Ranch and has kept giraffes on the property for more than 30 years, said Gracie had a habit of wandering areas that the ranch's other giraffes typically avoided. She was feeding on a hillside when she made her way to a corner of the property near a canyon, a gate enclosure and a steep rock face. She ended up on the wrong side of the gate and kept going — into the dense brush, rolling grasslands, springs and canyons that define the Hill Country landscape.
"She's a little farther away than I'd like her to be," Jones told reporters Tuesday, when a possible sighting briefly raised hopes of a quick recovery. That tip turned out to be false. As of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Real County Animal-Rescue Shelter both confirmed Gracie had not been found.
The Real County Sheriff's Office is leading the search. A public alert has been issued asking locals to keep an eye out.
What She Looks Like
Gracie is a reticulated giraffe, a species recognized for its clean-lined, distinctive coat pattern — essentially a rust-and-white mosaic across the entire body. She is estimated to stand around 14 feet tall, with legs nearly as long as her neck. Her most notable distinguishing feature, according to officials: she has notably rounded ears. She arrived at Cedar Hollow Ranch in May.
The ranch is home to several hundred animals, including impalas, Nubian ibexes and a species of Central African antelope. Gracie and one other giraffe are the ranch's only two of their kind.
If You Spot Her
Anyone with information about Gracie's location is asked to contact owner Vick Jones at (830) 279-5822 or the Real County Sheriff's Office at (830) 232-5201.
Curious for more stories that keep you informed and entertained? From the latest headlines to everyday insights, YourLifeBuzz has more to explore. Dive into what’s next.