A giraffe that had vanished from a Texas ranch a couple of weeks ago was found safe and well a few miles from her home, apparently enjoying herself while taking care of some lambs. This news came from authorities on Friday.
Sheriff Nathan T. Johnson shared that Gracie, the giraffe, was quite evasive during an aerial search, displaying an attitude that suggested she was okay with her newfound freedom.
The Real County Sheriff’s Office updated the public on Friday, noting that Gracie’s owner, Vic Jones, who is 72 years old, was actively working with an airline to locate the missing animal.
“Mr. Jones has reached out to the veterinarian and is putting together a team to safely catch Gracie and bring her back home,” officials reported.
To safely return Gracie, authorities are coordinating with her veterinarian to possibly sedate her during the capture process.
“She’s doing well. Just standing there wagging her tail,” Jones mentioned regarding Gracie’s current condition.
The four-year-old giraffe was found about four miles south of Cedar Hollow Ranch in Leakey, Texas, which is approximately 160 miles from San Antonio.
According to Jones, she had been hiding near a stream and pond for roughly a week, likely living off the local vegetation.
People online were bewildered by how such a large animal could go missing in the first place.
As pointed out by the Denver Zoo, reticulated giraffes can reach heights of up to 16 feet and weigh around 2,600 pounds. Gracie was one of two giraffes on the property.
One commenter joked about the mishap, saying, “Maybe it’s just a short giraffe. I’m baffled over how someone could lose something that tall.” Another user asked, “How on earth do we lose a giraffe?”
Gracie wandered off while grazing on a hillside and made her exit through an open gate.
Interestingly, other younger male giraffes have also escaped through the same gate but returned without issue, as per Jones.
It seems that while Gracie was climbing a rocky incline to find food, she inadvertently made her way outside her enclosure.
Securing the perimeter of the property is a bit tricky, as workers have to break through solid rock just to install the fence posts.
This is reportedly the first notable case of a missing giraffe, although Sheriff Johnson mentioned that he previously dealt with reports of missing wildebeests, buffalo, zebras, and monkeys in the region.
There was no immediate response from the Real County Sheriff’s Office regarding further inquiries.
