
Nearly 100,000 people tuned-in last week to watch April the giraffe give birth to her fourth calf at a New York zoo, with movement by the baby in her belly visible on a livestream video.
“The world waits on edge and April smirks with a mouthful of cud,” officials at the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville wrote on Facebook. “Watch closely for strong kicks from within!”
In the video streaming on YouTube, April, a 15-year-old reticulated giraffe, can be seen pacing inside her barn and raising her tail before her delivery. Her mate, Oliver, can be seen in a nearby pen. (link to video: here)
Classed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species in 2016, the world’s tallest mammals are usually found in dry savanna zones south of Africa’s Sahara desert.
Their main predators are humans, lions and crocodiles, experts say, and fewer than 100,000 are thought to exist in the wild.
Female giraffes are usually pregnant for 15 months, and April is about a month overdue, according to zoo officials. When it is born, her calf is expected to weigh around 150 pounds (68 kg) and be about 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall.
Zoo officials say they will only announce that April has gone into labor when calf hooves are visible. Giraffes naturally hide signs of labor so as not to alert predators.
The zoo will hold an online competition to name April’s calf.
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components