Update June 6, 6:05 p.m.: If you haven’t heard, our gloomy days are behind us! April the giraffe, baby Tajiri and papa Oliver are all hanging out in their stalls. How do we know? THE GIRAFFE CAM IS BACK!
Check out the live stream below and welcome back the spotted, “horned” members of your family.
Update May 26, 3:45 p.m.: If you’ve been living for photos of Tajiri, April the giraffe’s baby, but are jonesing for more, we might have some good news for you!
“Rumor is the cam is coming back – stay tuned!” the giraffe text alert today read.
Tajiri is “a proud” 6-feet 6-inches and 220 pounds.
Update, May 1, 1:31 p.m.: The public decided, and the top vote to name April’s calf went to Alyssa’s choice: Tajiri. The name means “hope” in Swahili, and the animal park plans to call him Taj.
Update, April 13, 1:30 p.m.: April the giraffe is “out of it,” Animal Adventure Park reports. She just isn’t her “normal inquisitive, treat begging, self,” but the park added that there is no cause to be alarmed. Keepers are keeping an eye on her, the increased movement from the calf and discharge.
Update, April 12, 1:35 p.m.: April the giraffe is still pregnant, but everything is “on point,” Animal Adventure Park wrote on Facebook. Mammary development suggests a calf is on its way, so stay patient, the park asked.
Right now, April is taking a sunbath in her stall with her face in Oliver’s stall so she can feel the sunshine on her face.
Update, April 11, 1:55 p.m.: April the giraffe is loving her outside time today. “There is ‘wetness’ around the back end, which is likely due to tail swishing of discharge,” the park wrote in the morning update.
Metro will let you know as soon as the big moment arrives!
Update, April 10, 2:30 p.m.: April the giraffe shows no significant changes, which the park says is actually a good thing. What we’re watching for now are behavioral changes, like pacing. Moms tend to pace more as active labor nears and pushing through contractions begins.
With all the nice weather, the animals at Animal Adventure Park were able to enjoy some yard time, including April, who ventured out over the weekend.
If you subscribe to the April the giraffe text alert system, you received some exclusive content including photos of April and Oliver feeding from a new enrichment toy, April checking out a mini-Lego April and “massive mammory development.”
Update, April 8, 12:10 p.m.: April the giraffe is keeping us waiting. According to keepers, the baby is kicking, but just isn’t coming out. Everything else seems “normal” for mom, the park reported.
Update, April 7, 2:15 p.m.: Last night, April the giraffe turned into a little piggy! Animal Adventure Park said it is common for expectant mothers to “feast” just before the birth.
“Keepers report is that April has consumed all of last evening’s grain offering, and continues to eat her hay,” the park wrote on Facebook. “Udders are full, wax caps have reappeared (as they will come and go at times), and she is very much ‘herself.'”
Update, April 6, 1:45 p.m.: Keepers reported that the bulge in April’s belly has changed. If the calf is lining itself up, it could be soon, and in photos from the subscription service, the bulges in April’s side are gone. A streamlined belly means baby is on its way soon. But, seriously this time.
Another sign of active labor was observed last night.
“[April] was very ‘with it’ but then became very distracted and as Corey put it, ‘would have walked right through me,'” the park wrote. “Though sounding intimidating; this behavior is what we will see – consistently – when in active labor. She will walk through her strong contractions and push push push.”
Like a child-bearing boss.
Another giraffe was born on Monday afternoon, but not the giraffe America was hoping for. Orla, an endangered Rothschild’s giraffe, gave birth to her baby across the pond at the Chester Zoo in England.
“For awhile, we could just see two spindly legs poking out,” giraffe team manager Sara Roffe said in a press release. “She’s an experienced mum and a few hours later she delivered the calf safely onto soft straw as the rest of the herd, including her other young, Kidepo and Millie, looked on.”
Fewer than 1,600 Rothschild’s giraffes remain in the wild, according to some estimates. About one-third of the surviving population of Rothschild’s giraffes live in zoos where breeding programs can create a “safety net” population for the species.
Update, April 5, 7:45 p.m.: April the giraffe and her beau Oliver are coming in for the night and getting some treats. You can watch on the live stream.
Guest services will host the “Super Chat” tonight from 8-9 p.m.
Update, April 5, 1:40 p.m.: “Everything is looking good” Dr. Tim wrote after examining April’s derrière.
Here are some shots of April’s progression taken by Dr. Tim and team.
Updates from the park:
Update, April 4, 6:10 p.m.: April the giraffe’s live stream is back up. Breathe easy, folks… we didn’t miss the big moment!
Update, April 4, 5:45 p.m.: April the giraffe’s live stream is still down. No word yet from the park, but some baby giraffe watchers are suspecting the weather is to blame. Earlier, the park said storms were anticipated.
Update, April 4, 4:50 p.m.: April the giraffe’s live stream has been down for about three minutes. Check back for updates.
Update, April 4, 2:30 p.m.: As of this morning, April was still handling those contractions like a boss.
“Morning Keeper report is that April continues to ignore grain, and back end swell is noticeably larger than day prior,” the park wrote. “We, like many of you, sat up in bed or were inches from our screens a few times last night. She keeps us guessing. Rest assured, all is well, there is no distress, no pain – she is simply (but slowly) advancing. From what we have been told from prior facility – when she has her calves – she calves very quickly – which has us all on our toes as it is!”
Update, April 3, 11:55 p.m.: April the giraffe is almost completely off food, according to the park and she spent the evening in contractions. Stay tuned for the active labor announcement!
Update, April 3, 2:50 p.m.: April the giraffe looked like she was pushing last night, but still no baby.
“This morning keeper report is no interest in grain and only smelling lettuce treats,” the park wrote on Facebook. “No discomfort evident, no distress – normal progression as expected in the process. Many of you may have witnessed what appeared as ‘pushing’ contractions last night. The team and vet were in communication regarding these and were documented throughout the night. Let’s see if April’s plan is to break up your work week!”
Stay with Metro to find out the baby giraffe’s gender as soon as keepers find out! You can also sign up for AAP’s text alerts; the $5 subscription has left some complaining that the pay-to-know system is elitist.
One commenter wrote: “disappointed that the people with text alert will be the first to know the gender – well some people do NOT have this technology. I have watched the live streaming of April since Feb and now I have to wait for the media to announce the gender. Why are you limiting only those that subscribe to your text alert ( which cost $$) be first to know??????? WHY can there not be a sign indicating gender and shown on live stream/fb???? Rethink your means of annoucing gender. thank you”
Some shared her feelings, while others thought of the money as a donation. Another April the giraffe fan had a suggestion: “I am wondering … why are you not watching the Donkey live cam because you sure sound an A** to me…seriously AAP has gone WAY OUT for all of us to enjoy and witness April the birth and you want to complain.. Oh My”
Everyone seems antsy for this calf to arrive and tension is apparently high.
“Oh my” indeed.
Update, April 2, 11:50 p.m.: April the giraffe still has not shown the world her calf. Dr. Tim, April’s veterinarian, gave us an update on Facebook, answered some questions and allayed some concerns about April’s long anticipated delivery.
“Keepers continue to report the same physical and behavioral observations,” the park wrote. “The giraffes did enjoy some outside time today, though April chose to enjoy the sunshine and air from her doorway.”
Dr. Tim answered some questions he received on some public forums. Here are his answers:”no, she isn’t late; no, she isn’t overdue; no, I’m not concerned she is ‘taking so long’, nor should you be. Yes she remains happy and comfortable (considering the circumstances). Yes, she will have this calf when she is good and ready. No, public outcry won’t change that. No, I cannot induce her, nor should we want to… (those are human constructs which don’t apply to large wild animals and only endanger the life of April and her calf )Yes, it will be awesome when the calf arrives. No, watching after April is not my only job. Yes, we have been watching her for a very long time… enjoy the
Dr. Tim also said he won’t be sharing any more of his “guesstimates” as to when the calf will make his or her debut.
“So the timeline for my 24-48 hour prediction is rapidly coming to an end… not surprising is the fact that we still have no calf and we still don’t have a giraffe in Labor!” Dr. Tim wrote. “Pretty much all of her clinical signs from a couple days ago are still true. She just isn’t quite ready to give the world what it wants.”
Update, April 2, 12:55 p.m.: April the giraffe continues to tease us via live stream at Animal Adventure Park. When is April going to have her baby?
The park still hasn’t said the words “active labor.”
“This morning, keepers report increased discharge, continued lack of interest in food, full udders,” the park wrote on Facebook this morning. “April also continues to be a bit out of character. We continue to watch and wait.
“Keepers feel they will be able to get the giraffes yard time today, as yard conditions have returned to safe and temperatures promise to climb from the 30s to 50s today. Perhaps that will ‘shake’ things up!”
Check the post below for information on how to sign up for a labor text alert.
Update, April 1, 10 a.m.: April the giraffe’s live stream is back and the mother-to-be is showing signs of contractions, Animal Adventure Park said.
“April continues to be out of normal behavior and show signs of contractions,” the park posted on Facebook.
But don’t get excited just yet, ye thousands waiting with bated breath for an impending calf’s arrival.
“We are not announcing active labor at this time — as we will wait until there is NO QUESTION — to ensure our followers know to hunker down and wait!” officials said.
Animal Adventure Park admitted that this morning’s technical issues with April’s live stream “didn’t help our cause by any means,” and said overnight snow in its upstate New York region may have “contributed to our signal issues.”
Update, April 1, 8:34 a.m.: Is April the giraffe pulling an April Fools’ Day prank on us? Many think she is as the much-watched live stream of her impending delivery is down.
“There is an internet outage on our end at this time. Our team is in the giraffe barn trying to establish connection,” Animal Adventure Park announced on Facebook Saturday morning. “Nothing wrong with April and baby and no this is not the hoax many anticipated.”
Guess we’ll have to wait and see for ourselves when the feed comes back. Will it reveal a still-pregnant April, a newborn calf — or the greatest April Fools’ Day prank ever?
Update, March 31, 7:45 p.m.: April the giraffe is hanging on as we’re hanging on to the edge of our seats waiting for that newborn calf. The park said this morning that it would be really surprising if a baby giraffe isn’t in the barn with mommy April by the evening.
Women who have delivered a baby or who have been involved in that process know neither the doctor, the nurses nor the moms themselves have control of the timing— it’s all up to baby.
Update, March 31, 1:30 p.m.: As of this morning, it was looking like all systems go for April the giraffe and her baby, who is expected to make its debut today!
“The staff have been onsite with April all morning, Dr Tim was called and onsite within minutes,” the park wrote on Facebook. “All observations, behavior, and predictions suggest a calf today, tonight – we would be shocked to get through the weekend without our newest addition.
“This is what we have all been waiting for!”
Around 4 a.m., we saw April looking quite uncomfortable and giving herself “hay showers”— tossing the hay over her head. She looks a bit more at ease now, but Oliver seems anxious to meet his first kiddo!
The park’s team was live from the giraffe barn earlier today:
Update, March 30, 9:50 p.m.: April the giraffe is starting to get a bit testy as countdown to calf continues.
“It was clear to all watching, the evening keeper check was cut short by April,” the zoo wrote on Facebook. “Her behavior is very off from normal demeanor; this is to be expected. Mammary development photos were not captured, but udders reported as full. It should not be much longer!”
The zoo expects to have a subscription labor text alert service ready by Friday … if April doesn’t deliver tonight.
“We wish everyone a good evening (or day)! Keep watching – we are in the home stretch!”
Update, March 30, 11:45 a.m.:#GiraffeWatch2017 continues as we wait for April the giraffe to give birth to her calf.
“Like many of you, we spent the evening watching our April,” the zoo wrote on Facebook. “She continues to progress. Mammary development stays remains as filled udders, and will likely not get much Larger. Discharge continues to be present. Appetite is so-so this morning.
“We continue calf countdown.”
Update March 29, 2017: April the giraffe’s countdown to calf seems to be picking up speed. Tonight, Animal Adventure Park in New York updated April’s eager fans on her “taco induction” and told everyone to “rest with one eye open.”
“Ok Gang… if you have been watching today, you should start getting excited… we are seeing almost all the signs of birth happening within the coming days… of course, my schedule is crazy for the next few days so naturally, we will pick the worst time possible,” the vet wrote in his report. “Hah. In an effort to speed things along I am launching ‘Operation Taco Induction’… let’s see what happens. (Not in Labor…) yet. – disclaimer – she didn’t actually get a taco. I’m not ridiculous.”
April’s keepers reported continued discharge and mammary development. April’s appetite dropped in the morning, but was back by the evening.
This could be for realsies.
Original article:
Seriously. When will April, the very pregnant giraffe, go into active labor? Anytime now, the folks at Animal Adventure Park petting zoo in upstate New York said.
The world has been waiting for April to give birth since February when the live stream was taken down afteranimal rights activists sent “nudity and sexual content” complaints to YouTube, which then shut the live stream down for a while.
The live stream of April’s impending delivery is now sponsored by Toys “R” Us (see below) and all things April can be found on her website, aprilthegiraffe.com. What a diva!
Animal Adventure Park posted an update on Facebooksaying that everything looks like the giraffe calf is ready for showtime.
“We will not confirm active labor, but we do have discharge that would suggest thecount down to calfhas begun!” the zoo wrote on Wednesday. “Mammary development is on point and picture is in comments. We will keep everyone posted throughout the day with developments. Our team and Vet are on standby. We could be hours away or days – so do not stop your day – but certainly don’t stop watching!”
The zoo explained what will happen and what zookeepers are looking for during and right after delivery.
“From hooves to baby on the ground – could be as quick as 30-60 minutes,” the zoo wrote. “Baby will be on average 150# and 6′ tall. Within an hour, we want to see baby on its feet. Yes, baby will stumble, fall, and face plant – but it is all part of the process and we cannot intervene.
“Once standing, we want baby to nurse within the next 60-120 minutes to get the essential colostrum. Our team will not intervene unless we absolutely have to. You will not see us in the stall, but we are all there waiting.
“Tragedy can strike, and we are prepared, but have faith we will have a safe and sound delivery and calf,” the post continued. “Hooves crossed.”
April, 15, had three calves before this pregnancy. Her baby daddy, 5-year-old Oliver, will be a first time parent, the zoo wrote on YouTube, although bulls do not rear offspring. Giraffes are pregnant for 15 months, so April has been waiting a bit longer than Giraffe Cam viewers.
For those who called April’s pregnancy a hoax, “April has a message for you:”
