Gracie the giraffe who escaped from the ranch [AP=Yonhap News]

A giraffe that escaped from a ranch in Texas, USA, has been missing for two weeks, the AP reported on the 25th (local time).

The giraffe, a three-year-old named Gracie, escaped from her enclosure at a ranch in Real County, located in the Texas Hill Country region, about two weeks ago.

It is understood that Gracie climbed up to a remote mountainside within the ranch to graze before descending on the opposite side of the ranch gate, subsequently disappearing into the rugged wilderness.

Ranch owner Vic Jones has deployed a helicopter to search an area spanning approximately 3,000 hectares (30 million square meters) and has offered a $5,000 reward. However, the whereabouts of Gracie, who is as tall as a tree, remain unknown.

Officials stated that because Real County is a rural area with a population of only 2,700 and the search area is extremely remote, it is unlikely that Gracie will have any direct encounters with humans.

In the past, there have been instances of exotic wildlife, such as monkeys, zebras, and wildebeests, going missing in the Hill Country, a hilly region in inland central Texas.

Real County Sheriff Nathan Johnson explained that the mild climate and rugged terrain of the area are somewhat similar to Africa, the animals' native habitat.

"Sometimes we are able to safely recover the missing animals, but other times we are never able to find them," he told the AP.

Ranch owner Jones also expressed optimism that Gracie could survive even if she does not return to the ranch.

He noted that the area is rich in foliage and other food sources, and the likelihood of other wildlife attacking Gracie is low.