April The Giraffe Baby Watch Countdown: What Happens When April Gives Birth


The April The Giraffe baby watch will soon end as the sensational pregnant giraffe is close to giving birth, leaving some to wonder: What happens next?

As the days become shorter, the Animal Adventure Park staff and crew become more hyperactive, cracking up a few jokes before months of wait comes to an end.

The Animal Adventure Park in New York hit a gold mine after learning about April the Giraffe’s pregnancy, roping in hundreds of thousands of followers from all over the globe. Since they were not able to determine the sensational giraffe’s date of conception, AAP staff and crew spent weeks before having any clue as to the estimated arrival of April’s calf, the very first to be born in Animal Adventure Park.

Now, it looks as though the wait—and the viral live YouTube giraffe cam—will be closing soon as AAP’s resident vet we know as Dr. Tim shares some exciting news about the April the Giraffe baby watch.

According to a late morning update posted on AAP’s official Facebook page, the countdown to labor has begun. While they haven’t declared that April is beginning to enter the birthing process, discharges indicate that the sensational giraffe will be in labor within the following days.

On top of that, the Animal Adventure Park staff in charge of the giraffes are standing by April together with the vet to monitor any development, telling followers to not panic but stay alert.

“We could be hours away or days – so do not stop your day – but certainly don’t stop watching!”

https://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdventurePark/photos/a.248725055230381.37912.246833958752824/942285175874362/?type=3

As hours passed, the April the Giraffe baby watch noticed how the impending conclusion of the long wait has affected Dr. Tim’s humor which was reflected in the March 29 evening Animal Adventure Park update titled “Taco Induction.”

Apparently, April is not yet in labor so to speed things up a bit, Dr. Tim is trying to induce it by feeding her some tacos.

“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. Hah. In an effort to speed things along I am launching ‘Operation Taco Induction’… let’s see what happens. (Not in Labor…) yet,” the report reads.

Of course, it was all a joke in order to keep the AAP crew awake—and sane—throughout the baby watch countdown.

“- disclaimer – she didn’t actually get a taco. I’m not ridiculous.”

https://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdventurePark/posts/942643812505165:0

According to zoo keeper reports, April’s appetite had been high during the course of the day on Wednesday as the discharges and mammary development continue to progress as expected. This led them to conclude that April the Giraffe will be giving birth within two days or a few hours, telling everyone to stay tuned to updates.

“Rest with one eye open tonight!”

While writing this article, the Inquisitr has been monitoring April the Giraffe’s activities via the Animal Adventure Park Giraffe Cam that streams everything that happens live. As of 1 a.m. EST, April is wide awake and moving around a bit inside her pen.

As the April the Giraffe baby watch comes to a close, we recall a Frequently Asked Question post from the Animal Planet that covers some neat facts about a giraffe’s labor process.

According to the website, a baby giraffe is born while the mommy is standing which means that the calf “enters the world from quite a height.”

“They fall 6 feet to the ground with hooves and head first,” the website explains, adding that even though this may sound a bit abrupt, Mother Nature designed it that way for several practical reasons.

“It effectively breaks the amniotic sac, severs the umbilical cord, and most importantly encourages the calf to take its first breaths. After the calf drops to the ground, the mother will begin to clean it off, and after a few minutes, the calf will attempt its first steps.”

Thirty minutes after birth, the calf will already be able to stand and walk. Its first steps are necessary for the nursing process and will eventually lead to the calf being able to run within a day after birth. Newborns usually nurse from their mothers between nine to 12 months and stay with their mom for 15 months for male calves and 18 months for females.

Have you been part of the April the Giraffe baby watch? Tell us what you think of this trend via the comments section below and stay tuned for more updates as our favorite giraffe goes into labor.

[Featured Image by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images]

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