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World watches as New York zoo streams birth of calf to April the giraffe on YouTube It's a boy: world watches as New York zoo streams birth of calf to April the giraffe
(about 7 hours later)
A New York zoo’s livestream video of its pregnant giraffe showed her giving birth on Saturday. A New York zoo’s much-discussed livestream video of its pregnant giraffe showed her giving birth on Saturday.
Adventure Park’s YouTube feed captured the big moment live. Shortly before 10am ET, April, a 15-year-old giraffe, delivered her calf in an enclosed pen at the zoo in Harpursville, a village about 130 miles north-west of New York City. Adventure Park’s YouTube feed captured the big moment shortly before 10am ET when April, a 15-year-old giraffe, delivered in an enclosed pen at the zoo in Harpursville, a village about 130 miles north-west of New York City.
The mother giraffe tenderly licked her calf, which began to slowly pick its head up from the floor of the pen. About 45 minutes after it was born, the calf stood on its wobbly legs for the first time, while its mother helped keep it steady.The mother giraffe tenderly licked her calf, which began to slowly pick its head up from the floor of the pen. About 45 minutes after it was born, the calf stood on its wobbly legs for the first time, while its mother helped keep it steady.
At least 1.2 million people watched the YouTube stream on Saturday morning. Millions around the world have viewed it since it started in late February. April has her own website and even an apparel line. The zoo later said the calf was male. Its entry to the world, zoo owner Jordan Patch said, “was unnerving to even those of us who have witnessed animal births previously”.
The calf is April’s fourth, but Animal Adventure Park’s first giraffe calf. It is expected to weigh about 150lbs (68.04kg) and be about 6ft (1.83m) tall, and will be named through a competition.
Its father is a five-year-old giraffe named Oliver, who watched the delivery from an adjacent pen.
More than a million people watched the YouTube stream on Saturday morning. Millions around the world have viewed it since it started in late February. April has her own website and even an apparel line.
A GoFundMe fundraiser page that initially set a goal of $50,000 sat at more than $125,000 on Saturday morning. The money will be used for the care of the animals.A GoFundMe fundraiser page that initially set a goal of $50,000 sat at more than $125,000 on Saturday morning. The money will be used for the care of the animals.
Following the birth, a sponsor’s logo on the YouTube feed quickly changed from ToysRUs to BabiesRUs.Following the birth, a sponsor’s logo on the YouTube feed quickly changed from ToysRUs to BabiesRUs.
In February the zoo achieved momentary fame after YouTube cut the live stream when what the zoo called “animal rights extremists” alleged a violation of the website’s “nudity and sexual content” policy.In February the zoo achieved momentary fame after YouTube cut the live stream when what the zoo called “animal rights extremists” alleged a violation of the website’s “nudity and sexual content” policy.
The zoo’s owner, Jordan Patch, said the decision to pull the stream “pulled an educational tool away from tens of millions of individuals”. Patch, said the decision to pull the stream “pulled an educational tool away from tens of millions of individuals”.
The wait for the giraffe to give birth became an anxiety-ridden experience for some. A songwriter from Farmington, New Hampshire even posted a music video on YouTube called, “I’m Going Crazy Waiting (For A Giraffe).”The wait for the giraffe to give birth became an anxiety-ridden experience for some. A songwriter from Farmington, New Hampshire even posted a music video on YouTube called, “I’m Going Crazy Waiting (For A Giraffe).”
On Saturday, reaction on social media was ebullient and hopeful. Messages on Twitter included: “We did it, internet! We had a giraffe baby together”, “Everybody sticking their neck out for this baby giraffe” and “On a day where ‘mother of all bombs’ is a trending phrase, I love how the world unites over the birth of a baby giraffe”.On Saturday, reaction on social media was ebullient and hopeful. Messages on Twitter included: “We did it, internet! We had a giraffe baby together”, “Everybody sticking their neck out for this baby giraffe” and “On a day where ‘mother of all bombs’ is a trending phrase, I love how the world unites over the birth of a baby giraffe”.
The calf is April’s fourth, but Animal Adventure Park’s first giraffe calf. The father is a five-year-old giraffe named Oliver.
The calf, which was expected to weigh about 150lbs (68.04kg) and be about 6ft (1.83m) tall, will be named through a competition.