The long wait is over. After about two months of waiting for April the giraffe at Animal Adventure Park to go into labor, the pregnant giraffe has finally given birth!
The baby watch for April has ended today, April 15, at 10 am ET. Animal Adventure Park giraffe cam captured the much-awaited moment, and at least 1.2 million were online to watch the live stream. The 15-year-old pregnant giraffe gave birth in an enclosed pen in Harpursville, New York, The Guardian reports.
According to Daily Mail, a staff at Animal Adventure Park described the whole process as a "perfect delivery." The hooves of the baby giraffe first popped out from April's rear at 8 a.m., followed by the calf's face at 10 a.m.
About half an hour later, April helped her newborn calf to stand up. Baby giraffes are expected to stand and walk within an hour after birth. A newborn calf is estimated to weigh around 150 pounds and stand six feet tall. Here's the adorable picture of April and her newborn giraffe.
April the giraffe will wean her calf for six to 10 months before it will be moved to another facility to avoid incestuous mating. Regarding the calf's gender, zookepers from Animal Adventure Park said they will reveal the gender of the baby giraffe once April and the calf have spent enough time together.
In a previous interview with ABC, Jordan Patch, owner of Animal Adventure Park, said the sensation that April the giraffe has become is important to giraffe conservation.
"The once 'silent extinction' is now no longer silent. Our work here, our partnership with Toys R Us, is allowing us to bring that conservation effort and message to the households and schools around the world," Patch said.
This is April the giraffe's fourth baby and she has never given birth to a stillborn. Oliver, the father of April's calf, is five years old.
A GoFundMe page for April has received more than $125,000. The money earned will be used to take care of the animals.
Watch the Live Birth Archive of Animal Adventure Park during the hours when April the giraffe is giving birth: