After more than two months, April the giraffe is still, very pregnant! Few days before April begins, many have speculated that the pregnancy of April is just an April Fool's Day prank.
Two days after April Fool's Day, it is no joke that the giraffe still has not given birth to the world's most anticipated calf. Fans had been disappointed, at the same time, doubters had been shut down.
The Animal Adventure Park in Upstate New York had released a statement and update after quelling the rumors.
"Joke is on us! I would be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for an April Fools baby! Though the evening is not over, April's relaxed nature and lack of urgency has us guessing we will get through midnight before the calf joins us," the post reads.
Express reported that on the same day, the live stream where hundreds of thousands of followers are watching went down, sparking fears that the giraffe might have given birth offline
Around two in the afternoon, the zoo announced the live stream is back up and it crashed due to technical issues related to internet connectivity.
While many have been concerned about April's seemingly "delayed" pregnancy, Dr. Tim, her vet clarified that there is nothing to worry about, citing that there is no calf yet simply because April is not ready yet despite all of her clinical signs.
"No, she isn't late; no, she isn't overdue; no, I'm not concerned she is "taking so long", nor should you be. Yes she remains happy and comfortable (considering the circumstances). Yes, she will have this calf when she is good and ready," he said.
He also added that he cannot induce April the giraffe's labor because it will only endanger the life of April and her calf. In humans, labor is induced when a pregnancy is postterm (beyond due date) or the health of the mother or baby is at risk, Mayo Clinic explains.
Meanwhile, Animal Adventure Park has already started their text alert system to let followers know if April is already on labor. NBC New York reported that it costs $4.99, plus messaging fees apply.