A 3-year-old giraffe named Gracie was found on Friday after a two-week escape from her home at a private ranch in Texas. The 1,200-pound animal had wandered away from her unfenced habitat on June 12. Gracie was located by helicopter in a remote, heavily-wooded area about four miles south of the ranch.
Gracie moved to the ranch in May and was still getting used to her surroundings when she escaped. According to the ranch manager, she likely didn't mean to leave and had been feeding in an area where giraffes had never been before. This led to her getting out and coming back on the wrong side of the gate.
The ranch manager posted a missing alert for Gracie on a local lost and found app, hoping that locals might see it and provide information on her whereabouts. However, the post quickly went viral, with people creating humorous images of Gracie in various scenarios. The ranch manager joked that he now understands what "viral" means.
Gracie was found on empty private property near a pond and creek, where she had plenty of vegetation to eat. The ranch manager reported that she is in good shape and a gentle giant, not a threat to anyone. When approached, Gracie will run away, but she is not aggressive.
To bring Gracie back to the ranch, a team will need to sedate her, put a hood over her eyes, and transport her in a specialized trailer. The ranch manager plans to put a fence around Gracie's enclosure to prevent future escapes. This decision comes after a relatively easy search effort, as local authorities have dealt with lost exotic animals before, but not giraffes.
