NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. – Virginia officials have located two giraffe calves that had been the focus of a months-long search tied to the ongoing legal battle surrounding the Natural Bridge Zoo.
The Virginia Attorney General’s Office confirmed Tuesday morning that the calves had been found following what it described as an extensive investigation. Officials said the animals have been placed in professional care, where they will receive medical and behavioral support.
The giraffe calves became the center of a high-profile dispute after a judge ruled in 2024 that their parents were property of the state. The ruling came after approximately 71 animals were seized from the Natural Bridge Zoo over concerns about their welfare.
The giraffes remained at the zoo because transporting them posed significant challenges. During that time, state officials conducted periodic inspections to monitor the animals’ condition.
In February 2025, state veterinarians discovered the giraffes were pregnant. When inspectors returned in April, the animals had already given birth, but the calves were nowhere to be found.
State officials later removed the adult giraffes from the zoo. A judge subsequently ruled the calves were also property of the state because their parents were state-owned at the time the pregnancies occurred.
Zoo owner Gretchen Mogensen was ordered to return the calves within five weeks beginning in September or face jail time. After the deadline passed without the calves being returned, Mogensen was jailed in October and served a 100-day sentence.
As the search intensified, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, joined the effort. The organization teamed up with actor and animal rights advocate Alicia Silverstone to offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to the calves’ whereabouts.
After her release from jail, Mogensen faced additional legal challenges. A grand jury handed down indictments against Mogensen, members of her family, and others associated with the zoo on charges that include forgery and animal cruelty-related offenses.
Neither the Attorney General’s Office nor PETA provided additional details Tuesday about where the calves were found or the circumstances surrounding their recovery.
In a statement, PETA credited state investigators for locating the animals.
“These baby giraffes were subjected to the trauma of separation from their distraught mothers shortly after birth, but at long last they’re finally safe and receiving the specialized care that they need, thanks to the tireless work of Attorney General Jay Jones’ Animal Law Unit,” the organization said.
Officials have not released information about the calves’ current location.