April The Giraffe Kicks Vet And Exhibits Cranky Behavior, Watch Live Cam [Video]
April the giraffe’s pregnancy is continuing as it should, but could new changes in April’s behavior signify labor will soon be underway? April is a 15-year-old reticulated giraffe who lives at the Animal Adventure Park (AAP) with her mate five-year-old Oliver “Ollie.” This is April’s fourth calf and Ollie’s first. The owner of the AAP, Jordan Patch, set up a live camera and has streamed April’s activities 24/7 while she prepares for the big day. Giraffe watch has swept the world and millions have tuned in to watch the live cam.
Watching a giraffe 24/7 means you’re bound to witness some remarkable events and today proved to be one of those times. While millions are waiting to see April’s calf born live online, viewers were in for a surprise when April was examined by a veterinarian and decided she wasn’t in the mood to be touched. As the vet made his rounds, April took her leg and gave the vet a kick. Fortunately, the vet wasn’t severely injured and gave April a clean bill of health. You may watch the live giraffe cam in the video below followed by the video where the April gives the vet a swift kick in the leg.
Watch April the Giraffe Cam Live
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzJSe9QnMPV8gadzivVITOH4gDmTDaoHq
There are two videos featuring April the giraffe kicking the vet. As AAP streams the live cam from their zoo in Harpursville, New York, the videos are screen captures and one video is a video of the video as it streamed live. The official giraffe cam live video can be rewound up to four hours at a time, but the event transpired far too long to be accessed via the live cam. Here are the videos of the incident that have caused some to question if April’s cranky behavior is a sign of impending labor. No doubt, many pregnant women have felt like giving an obstetrician or gynecologist a kick or two, but we’ll leave that behavior to the animals.
https://youtu.be/65pdVpMYT44
When the giraffe cam first streamed live, it was accompanied by YouTube chat sessions. Those sessions quickly grew out of control as more than 100,000 people would watch April live simultaneously. Many would chat and it became virtually impossible for the staff to keep up with the comments. The Animal Adventures Park is a petting zoo that focuses on interactive learning and educational activities. Many school children and homeschool students are watching April’s live cam, and the chat sessions were inappropriate for young viewers. Instead of the chat, AAP provides two daily updates on April’s condition as well as a scheduled live chat session via YouTube as time permits. They also provide weekly Facebook live video updates. In the March 6, 2017, evening update, the AAP discussed the incident that transpired between April and the vet. You may read the full update and a quote below.
“3/6 Evening Update
What A Day!
April continues to grow! Her mood continued to improve, however she was not impressed with our vets advances this afternoon. Our vet does a remarkable job – and he asks the hard questions of our animals – while we, the keepers, get to love on them and provide treats! The vet’s visit this afternoon, was ended early by a toe tapping April, whose fancy footwork ended with a small front kick…but if you ask me – it looked like lazy jazz hands! April was simply ‘stating’ she was done with her exam and reminding everyone this is her space. All are well; keepers, giraffes, and the vet!
Tomorrow will finally produce warm weather and a defrosted yard – and the giraffes will return outside. A few days inside is much better than a fatal slip and fall. The giraffes do not mind – as it warrants extra attention from keepers!”
https://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdventurePark/photos/a.248725055230381.37912.246833958752824/922865284483018/?type=3
April the Giraffe Has Most Watched Baby Bump
Are you watching April the giraffe? Have you noticed any changes in her behavior via the live cam? Do you think she’s nearing labor?
[Featured Image by Raliand/Shutterstock]
