After two weeks on the lam, a giraffe named Gracie is finally headed home.
Gracie, who went missing earlier this month from Cedar Hollow Ranch in Leakey, Texas, just northwest of San Antonio, was found on June 26, Real County Sheriff Nathan Johnson said on social media.
Despite having been away from home for quite some time, Gracie appears to be in good spirits, Johnson told local NBC News affiliate WOAI.
“We found her,” Johnson told WOAI. “She’s fat and happy.”
Gracie, who’s estimated to be 3 or 4 years old, has been at the ranch since May, ranch manager Vick Jones said. The giraffe was spotted during an aerial search that was conducted by a local aviation business. Johnson explained in his social media post that Jones had been working on putting a team together to safely capture the animal and bring her home.
Gracie the giraffe has been found after a two-week search.Sheriff Nathan T. Johnson via Facebook
“She had a catch-me-if-you-can-suckers’ attitude,” Johnson told the NBC News affiliate.
The ranch is home to hundreds of exotic animals, including impalas and Nubian ibexes. Jones told the New York Times that he suspected Gracie ended up away from home after she wandered into a corner of the property to snack on some tree limbs. She then walked onto the wrong side of the ranch’s gate and headed into Hill Country land, Jones said.
Gracie’s disappearance led Jones to offer a $5000 reward for information on her whereabouts.
While the ordeal was stressful, the internet couldn’t resist having a little fun with the search. Social media users, including local businesses and sports teams, posted memes, imagining where Gracie might be hiding.
Gracie deserves a big homecoming bash!