Pregnant giraffe April keeps fans on edge
HARPURSVILLE, N.Y. (FOX 13) - April the giraffe has given her fans on the internet a few exciting moments over the last few days, but there’s still no baby.
The “very pregnant” giraffe has become an internet sensation since the park began streaming live video last month. Twice this week, keepers came in to April’s pen at Animal Adventure Park and lingered long enough to create buzz among her online fans.
A Thursday morning Facebook post addressed April’s “very interesting behavior” but says they are back to a watch-and-wait mode, with keepers speculating that the calf was simply repositioning in the womb.
“All has seemed to settle,” the update explained. “We will continue to watch and monitor throughout the day.”
LINK: Watch the park's feed on YouTube
The park, in Harpursville, New York, has seen bitter cold and 3 feet of snow but the sun was shining again Thursday and volunteers had arrived to help the farm dig out.
Because of the giraffe’s sudden popularity, they have created a website that centers around April specifically, created a giraffe emoji, and even have an online store to purchase gear.
Whenever it arrives, the giraffe calf will be the first for dad Oliver, but it will be April’s fourth.
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GIRAFFE FUN FACTS:
- Once the calf’s hooves appear, labor will be over within 30 to 60 minutes
- Full grown giraffes can eat more than 100 pounds of leaves a twigs a day
- Male giraffes are taller and heavier than females
- The knobs on their heads are called ossicones
- Giraffes move both legs on one side of their body as they walk
- They can reach speeds of up to 35 mph
- Giraffes sleep less than two hours a day
- Female giraffes can become pregnant at just 5 years old
- They live up to 25 years in the wild
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