April the Giraffe has become a global Internet sensation among animal lovers in the past few months thanks to her pregnancy being monitored via a live camera placed in her pen at a privately-owned zoo called "Animal Adventure Park" located in upstate New York. Initially, zookeepers and vets expected April's calf to be born in March yet she was so late to deliver that some individuals started to speculate that she was not actually pregnant and the whole story was merely a publicity stunt. That theory was proven false on the morning of Saturday April 15, 2017, when April gave birth to healthy male calf.
The baby, unnamed as of now, is the fourth calf for 15-year-old April but the first baby for her 5-year-old mate, Oliver, who has shown great interest in his offspring from his adjoining pen. The next big step for April’s famous son is attaining a name. Animal Adventure Park had started a website solely for the purpose of inviting the public to help choose the little calf's name. A donation of $5 to the zoo will give donors a chance to choose five names that they consider befitting of a male giraffe. More information can be found on official website of Animal Adventure Park.
Babies
April's pregnancy was starting to seem unending and, as she waited to give birth, several other giraffes across the nation—and the world—welcomed babies, too.
Back in February, the Denver Zoo in Colorado was surprised by the birth of a male giraffe that they named Dobby since none of the zookeepers knew his mother was pregnant. Meanwhile, England’s Chester Zoo announced the birth of a boy giraffe on March 17 who they named Narus. The Memphis Zoo in Tennessee welcomed a baby boy named Bogey on April 3 and, on the very same day, the Toledo Zoo in Ohio welcomed a baby girl named Kipenzi.
Then, on April 10, the Houston Zoo in Texas announced the arrival of a baby girl who is still yet-to-be-named. The birth of these babies is exciting news to animal lovers and conservationists alike and the joy of seeing these cute creatures—who typically stand up and start walking within an hour after their birth—has sparked the interest and adoration of people worldwide.
Giraffes
Due to all the trending fascination with giraffes within the past few months, many children have shown an increased interest in giraffe-themed playthings. From plush toys to clothing featuring depictions of giraffes, the animal has started to make a big impression across numerous platforms—largely driven by April's popularity and the surge in births across various locations. Some of the most popular giraffe-related toys are VTech’s “Zoo Jamz Guitar” that appeals to kids ages one to four. It plays music and animal-sounds, lights up, features lots of buttons to push, and can be worn around the shoulder like an actual guitar. It is also colored bright yellow and shaped to resemble a giraffe.
Janod’s “A Day at the Zoo Funny Magnets” also feature giraffe characters and the pieces can be assembled so that children can fit them together like a puzzle.
Likewise, their tactile puzzle—also titled “A Day at the Zoo”—features a set of twenty jumbo-sized pieces that feature textured fabrics that will appeal to small children. ALEX Toys has also embraced the animal trend with their “Toys Tots Art Start” and “Ready Set Count” sets that both include giraffe themes and/or characters and are packed with paper, crayons, stickers and other materials that encourage creative play. For children who are excited about the birth of these baby giraffes, such toys and games are a great way to celebrate. Moreover, most zoos will gladly accept “congratulations” cards that children make and mail.
