A giraffe named Gracie has been reported missing from a private game reserve about an hour west of San Antonio. And despite reports of her capture circulating online, as of Wednesday, she’s still on the loose.
Gracie escaped nearly two weeks ago from Cedar Hollow Ranch, an exotic hunting and breeding reserve just outside of Leakey, roughly an hour and a half northwest of San Antonio.
Ranch manager Vick Jones told Chron.com that a promising lead fell apart after investigators discovered photos purported to show Gracie from the weekend were several days older than originally thought.
“We’re just regrouping and talking to new landowners to get permission to go on to more places,” Jones told Chron. “She’s out there. She’s in the area.”
Gracie was last spotted on a game camera west of Leakey last week, according to the New York Times. Yet, despite her size, the long-necked ungulate continues to elude the authorities.
On Friday, she will be two weeks gone.
Though Leakey has a population of just 700, news of the African ruminant’s disappearing act traveled far and wide after the Real County Sheriff’s Office shared an update Monday.
Cedar Hollow Ranch is a privately owned breeding facility that raises exotic animals and sells them to other ranches. Gracie has been at the private ranch since May.
The owner is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the capture and safe return of Gracie the Giraffe, according to a Facebook post by the Real County Animal Rescue-Shelter.
Anyone who spots the animal is encouraged to contact ranch manager Vick Jones at (830) 279-5822 or the Real County Sheriff’s Office at (830) 232-5201.
Jones, 76, told the Times that Gracie wandered the property and explored its bounds “like no other” in the ranch’s 30-year history of breeding and raising the animals.
Gracie is a reticulated giraffe — a breed prized for its coat pattern, and is estimated to be about between 3 and 4 years old, according to the Times.
Gracie’s escape follows a recent trend of exotic animals getting loose in around San Antonio. Exactly a month before, nearby areas were searching for a kangaroo and a llama on the loose.
What is going on in Texas Hill Country?
And why can’t anyone find the largest living terrestrial animal on such a flat, desert landscape? It’s not like they’re hard to miss.
Then again, their value compared to the reward for Gracie’s return might have something to do with it. A $5,000 reward is paltry compared to the going rate for a female giraffe, which have a starting price of $250,000 on exotic animal seller website Buck Trader.
Female giraffes typically carry a higher price tag due to their breeding value, according to Buck Trader.
Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
