LEAKEY, Texas — Missing giraffe Gracie was found safe and apparently healthy on Friday, June 26, 2026, nearly two weeks after disappearing from a private ranch in the Texas Hill Country. She had not yet been captured or returned to the property.
Gracie was spotted shortly before 7 a.m. CDT on private ranchland about 4 miles from Cedar Hollow Ranch, near Leakey, approximately 100 miles west of San Antonio.
Owner Vic Jones said Gracie was standing in an area with vegetation and water and appeared to be in good condition.
“She’s in good shape,” Jones told NBC DFW. “She’s standing there, swishing her tail.”
The recovery team did not immediately approach her because officials still needed veterinary assistance, sedation equipment and a specialized transport trailer.
“We didn’t bother her,” Jones said, explaining that the team wanted to avoid frightening her before preparations were complete.
Missing giraffe Gracie escaped through unfenced land
Jones said Gracie disappeared after walking onto a rocky hillside to feed on trees. She eventually reached the opposite side of an 8-foot gate and continued through an unfenced section of the ranch.
The rugged terrain and numerous privately owned ranches surrounding Cedar Hollow complicated the search. Helicopters had searched about 7,500 acres without finding her.
The ranch offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to Gracie’s safe capture and return.
Gracie is estimated to be 3 or 4 years old. She stands about 10 to 11 feet tall, weighs approximately 1,200 pounds and had lived at Cedar Hollow Ranch since May.
Jones said she was unlikely to threaten anyone who encountered her because she generally moved away when approached.
Exotic animals in the Texas Hill Country
Cedar Hollow Ranch houses hundreds of animals, including impalas, Nubian ibexes, antelope and two other giraffes.
Real County Sheriff Nathan Johnson said authorities have previously responded to escaped wildebeests, water buffalo, monkeys and zebras, particularly following floods. Gracie was the first missing-giraffe case he had encountered.
Officials were assembling a veterinary and transportation team to sedate Gracie and return her safely to Cedar Hollow Ranch. Her successful recovery would conclude a search that covered thousands of acres across difficult private ranchland.
