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Missing Giraffe Gracie Roams Texas Hill Country

Helicopters, drones and ground tip checks search rugged private ranchland as officials warn viral false reports complicate recovery

Overview

  • Gracie escaped from Cedar Hollow Ranch in mid-June after wandering onto a hillside, coming down the wrong side of an 8-foot gate and leaving through an unfenced area; she was last captured on a game camera west of Leakey.
  • Real County and the ranch have deployed helicopters, drones and tip-driven ground searches and the animal’s owner is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to her safe return.
  • Searchers have followed multiple sighting tips and photos but at least one tip proved outdated, and officials have publicly refuted viral claims that Gracie has been found.
  • Ranch staff describe Gracie as a young reticulated giraffe about 3–4 years old with rounded ears and an estimated height of roughly 10–16 feet depending on reports.
  • Cedar Hollow Ranch houses hundreds of exotic animals and searchers say the Hill Country’s rugged, sparsely populated terrain helps support escaped animals but makes locating them difficult; anyone with information should call Vick Jones at 830-279-5822 or the Real County Sheriff’s Office at 830-232-5201.