When some people wake up in the morning they check the weather report. And then there are those who check on the status of April, the pregnant giraffe at Animal Adventure Park in upstate New York. The animal was slated to give birth on the live stream weeks ago, but did not show signs of active labor by Wednesday.
The zoo where she was housed regularly updated fans on her status. Wednesday’s morning edition was brief. “Keepers report April is very moody and off from her normal self— this is a good thing,” Animal Adventure Park wrote to their 800,000 followers. “Back end continues to progress to our satisfaction.”
The weather in New York remained cold, even though it was the start of spring. As a result, the giraffes were not permitted to go outside, but the zoo had hopes that would change. “We hope by the weekend or early next week the giraffes will return outside,” they said. “Enrichment is used to stimulate the animals’ body and mind! Enrichment for our giraffes is increased during longer indoor stays.”
The zoo liked to add a fun fact to each update. Wednesday’s morning edition talked about the outside appearance of giraffes. “Giraffes spots and patterns are like fingerprints! No two giraffes are the same!” the park explained.
Within minutes, the post was liked thousands of times and garnered more than 500 shares. People commented about April’s relationship with Oliver, the other giraffe and the zoo. Another said that April and Oliver should get their own reality show.
The night before, the zoo reported April seemed “off” and “agitated.” The Tuesday vet report read: “So if you were watching me in with her this evening (6:30ish) you would have seen a fairly cranky giraffe…” By Wednesday, the post had garnered nearly 80,000 reactions and thousands of shares and comments.
Animal Adventure Park set up their live stream to capture April’s pregnancy last month. The amount of live viewers ranges from 80,000 to 150,000 people.
READ: April ‘Piqued’ New York Zoo’s Interest A Few Times
When the calf is born, he or she will weigh 150 pounds and stand at 6-feet tall. The hooves are the first part to emerge, followed by the snout.
The baby’s name will be decided through a vote. April’s offspring will not remain with her for long, though. The zoo will take the baby away to protect against “incestuous” mating. The calf will be taken away after six to 10 months.
April the giraffe is not yet giving birth even though thousands are waiting to watch in on live stream. Photo: Getty Images
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April Giraffe Update: The Latest About Animal Giving Birth On Live Stream – International Business Times