A giraffe named Gracie remains missing from a Hill Country ranch more than a week after she disappeared, prompting local authorities and the property's owner to intensify search efforts. Vick Jones, manager of Cedar Hollow Ranch in Leakey, told NBC News the search will continue "until we get her home."

Gracie, a reticulated giraffe estimated to be between 3 and 4 years old, was last spotted on a game camera positioned west of Leakey, approximately 100 miles northwest of San Antonio. The Real County Sheriff's Office and Real County Animal Rescue-Shelter issued a public alert asking residents to watch for the animal, which has distinctive rounded ears.

Gracie arrived at Cedar Hollow Ranch in May. Jones explained that the giraffe frequently wandered to areas of the property that other giraffes typically avoided, often stretching up to feed on tree limbs. The ranch has housed giraffes for more than three decades and is home to several hundred exotic animals, including impalas, Nubian ibexes, and bongo antelopes.

Gracie's escape occurred after she ventured to a hillside for feeding, an area where the ranch's other giraffe doesn't usually go. She then made her way to a corner of the property near a canyon and an 8-foot-tall gate. Despite the gate's height, Gracie ended up on the opposite side and wandered into the surrounding Hill Country terrain, characterized by rolling grasslands, springs, and canyons. Ranch officials say the steep hills normally keep giraffes contained within the valley.

Jones investigated a tip on Tuesday (June 23) after someone shared photos showing a giraffe roughly four miles from the ranch. However, the pictures were several days old, and Gracie wasn't in the area when searchers arrived.

The ranch owner is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to Gracie's capture and safe return. Female reticulated giraffes can reach heights of 14 to 16 feet and weigh up to 2,600 pounds, making Gracie's disappearance particularly puzzling to many observers.

This isn't the first time a giraffe has escaped from Cedar Hollow Ranch.

Anyone who spots Gracie or has information about her whereabouts should contact Jones at 830-279-5822 or the Real County Sheriff's Office at 830-232-5201.

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