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April the World-Famous Pregnant Giraffe Won't Even Look at Us Anymore

Tens of millions of people across the globe have tuned into the live stream in anticipation of the birth of April's fourth calf

What to Know

  • April has captivated tens of millions of people across the world who have been checking in on her via the live stream
  • Giraffe pregnancies last up to 15 months; labor lasts anywhere from a few hours to a few days
  • The calf will be the first born at Animal Adventure Park, and the zoo says it will hold a contest to name it once it arrives

Maybe she's starting to get a little antsy about all the rumors circulating saying her pregnancy is a hoax. Maybe she's hungry -- or wants to smooch her young beau Oliver. Or maybe we just caught her at the wrong moment.

Whatever the reason, April, the now famous giraffe at New York's Animal Adventure Park, which has been live-streaming her fourth pregnancy for tens of millions of adoring fans around the world, kept averting her direct gaze from the camera when we checked in on her shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday.

More than 145,000 other viewers were tuned into the YouTube stream as April ducked away from the lens, shimmied over for a snack and then sidled over to her 5-year-old boyfriend, who will be a first-time dad when this calf finally graces the world with its presence. 

Watch the live stream below.

We've been waiting for more than a month now, wondering which day will be the day and being duped into false hopes of looming active labor by a random giraffe stance or look. Meanwhile, the zoo wrote in its latest Facebook update that April is doing great, still. 

"April continues to carry her great demeanor," the zoo wrote. "She is big, udders are full, light discharge."

Despite the bucket of rain that dumped on New York Tuesday, April had another day outside and more is expected Wednesday. 

7 Events That Happened While Waiting for April the Giraffe to Give Birth

Following a day of ignoring grain and an increase in back end swelling, April continues to get everybody on their toes and guessing. When will this baby arrive? 

"Rest assured," the zoo said. "There is no distress, no pain - she is simply (but slowly) advancing."

7 Events That Happened While Waiting for April the Giraffe to Give Birth

Even though many predictions about when April will go into labor have been thrown out the window, Dr. Tim, the veterinarian caring for the world-famous giraffe, says he isn't worried her time hasn't come yet.

"No, she isn't late; no, she isn't overdue; no, I'm not concerned she is 'taking so long,' nor should you be," Dr. Tim wrote on Facebook after his own labor projections turned out to be wrong. "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," he said. 

And thus, we will continue to wait. 

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When April goes into active labor, the baby's front hoofs will be the first to come out, followed by the snout, the zoo says.

Mom will naturally raise the calf on her own, and weaning could take between six to 10 months, maybe even longer -- the zoo says it won't rush the process. Once weaning is over, the baby giraffe will move on to another facility to start a breeding program there.

"We cannot retain offspring, as it would lead to incestuous mating and undermine the genetics of the program and species," the zoo says.

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April's pregnancy was catapulted into global headlines late last month after YouTube briefly yanked the zoo's stream following complaints by animal activists that it violated the site's policies concerning "nudity and sexual content." Thousands upon thousands of commenters voiced their frustration on Facebook and YouTube, and the stream was restored within an hour or so.

Jordan Patch, owner of the Animal Adventure Park, says the natural curiosity surrounding giraffes and their birthing process has been a huge factor in drawing crowds.

"I think the fact that she's a giraffe and she's a neat species that people are interested in, that's fostered a lot of the attention," he said. "The fact that you're gonna get to witness the miracle of birth from an animal that you really don't get to see give birth — that's neat."

He added that April's pregnancy is not just live entertainment, but a teachable moment and source for education. This is the zoo's first giraffe calf.

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Giraffe pregnancies last up to 15 months. Labor lasts anywhere from a few hours to a few days. The calf, which will be the first born at Animal Adventure Park, will be about 150 pounds and 6 feet tall at birth and up and walking in about an hour.

The zoo said it will hold an online competition to name the baby giraffe once it's born.

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