Gracie, the Missing Giraffe Has Been Sighted at the Cowboy Capital of the World

We first heard of the missing giraffe from Sheli Hinton, the owner of The Hen’s Nest, a popular regional restaurant in the Texas Hill Country, located in Bandera, known as the official ‘Cowboy Capital of the World.”

According to Hinton, her husband Ricky called from on that day-as he was inspecting some oil fields in New Mexico- suggesting she should be on the lookout for “the very, very tall animal.”

“Thar’s a $5,000 reward posted saying she disappeared from Cedar Hollow Ranch up near Leakey and they believe it’s been heading towards Bandera.”

“I figure you’re the Queen of any lost animals anywhere near this area and the odds are she’ll just walk right to our yard like all the others.”

“Hmmm,” Sheli ignored her feral cats for a second to reply. “More details please.”

Rick read information right off the wanted poster:

“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.”

Rumors suggested Gracie May have made her way into Arkey Blues’Silver Dollar Saloon down the road on Main Street to dance & drink a little beer.

“Gracie arrived a the ranch in May, but 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.”

The couple compared notes throughout the morning from information she heard from Hen’s Nest diners and what he gathered via ham radio and CB communications throughout southwest Texas and southeast New Mexico.

They learned that Gracie’s escape occurred after she ventured to a hillside for feeding, an area where the ranch’s other giraffes don’t usually go. Trackers lost her prints along the banks of the Frio River.

She then mosied 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.

From the Land of Enchantment, Mr. Hinton called up two Bandera area trackers (Art Bouton, a sheep/goat specialist and Gordon Lee, the infamous Baytown-Sonora deer spotter) to help in the search.

Sheli, chomping at the bit to care for another animal, investigated a tip on Tuesday (June 23) after someone shared photos showing a giraffe closing in on the Hinton estate and animal sanctuary. She noticed that the pictures were several hours old, and Gracie wasn’t in the area when searchers arrived.

Informing her restaurant staff to be on the lookout, trustworthy Johnny Haas pulled his cellphone out immediately. He learned that “female reticulated giraffes can reach heights of 14 to 16 feet and weigh up to 2,600 pounds.”

Knowing regular diner Wesley Tarpley was not around, but on a road trip, to ask his opinion, Sheli then realized Gracie’s disappearance would be particularly puzzling to many observers.

Known for her eagle eye and meticulous attention to detail, Sheli decided to peer outside.

Bingo! She immediately herded Gracie into her racecar with help from her driver, Dee Dee.

The Texas hills became alive with the sound of music…like a giraffe might enjoy. As they mosied along State Highway 16, rumors and gossip spread through the town like a Chickasaw smoke signal or a News 4 San Antonio broadcast.