Photo: Ozkan Ozmen / Moment / Getty Images
Authorities are scrambling to find two newborn giraffes that vanished from the Natural Bridge Zoo, a case that has now put one of the zoo’s owners behind bars and ignited nationwide concern.
The situation traces back to December 2023, when the Virginia Attorney General’s Animal Law Unit removed around 100 animals from the property. Dozens were eventually returned the following month, but four giraffes—legally held by Rockbridge County due to the difficulty and risk of transporting them—remained at the zoo.
Before the state could relocate the animals, two of the female giraffes gave birth. When investigators visited the facility in April, the calves were already gone, and no one had notified officials of the births despite a court order requiring immediate reporting.
In court, co-owner Gretchen Mogensen refused to say what happened to the calves or turn them over to the state. After she failed to comply within the five-week deadline, a judge sentenced her to 100 days in jail for contempt. The whereabouts of the missing giraffes remain unknown.
The mystery has attracted national attention, with actress Alicia Silverstone joining PETA in offering a $50,000 rewardfor information that leads to the calves. The zoo is currently closed for the season, and Mogensen’s attorney has not responded to requests for comment.
SOURCE: WHSV3