Many fans have been waiting impatiently, watching on the live webcam for April the Giraffe to give birth to her latest calf. It seemed to drag on forever, with people regularly checking in on the live stream from the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York to see how the 15-year-old giraffe was doing. After seeing the uncomfortably large animal pacing impatiently in her pen for so long, finally, it has happened.

Six-foot bundle of giraffe joy enters the world

Human mothers grit their teeth at the thought of a 16-month gestation period (nine months being more than enough), but finally April the Giraffe has become a mother again to a six-foot-tall bundle of joy.

This is April’s fourth calf and the first to be born at the animal park.

So far the newborn calf’s weight is unknown, but we can estimate the height, at least, as giraffe calves are normally around six foot tall at birth and according to a report by CNN, weigh in at an approximate (and huge) 100 to 150 pounds. Unlike human babies, giraffe calves normally struggle to their feet and start walking around a half hour after they are born.

1.25 million people watched April the Giraffe give birth

In April’s case, the livestream footage – closely followed at the time by 1.25 million viewers – showed her tenderly licking her new arrival, as the calf slowly lifted its head up from the floor of the pen.

It took 45 minutes for the calf to finally stand for the first time on its wobbly legs, with April there to keep it steady. ABC News noted that the ToysRUs logo swiftly changed on the livestream to BabiesRUs once the calf was born. The calf’s proud dad, five-year-old Oliver, reportedly watched the whole event from the pen next door – the calf is his first offspring.

Readers can watch the birth right here:

While April will get to raise and wean her new calf (which takes around six to ten months), the animal park is not keeping the newborn. According to Animal Adventure Park, this is due to their breeding practices and to ensure there is no incestuous mating at the park, which would be bad for the genetics of the species.

ABC also noted that April the Giraffe has her own website, along with a clothing line. Reportedly a GoFundMe page set up on April’s behalf has received over $125,000 by Saturday morning, even though its initial goal was $50,000. The cash will reportedly be used to care for the animals at Animal Adventure Park. The animal park will reportedly be holding a contest held to name the new calf.

April's calf comes at a time when giraffes are in short supply

According to CNN, April’s birth comes at a time when her species is in what is called a “silent extinction.” The Giraffe Conservation Foundation says that over the last three decades their numbers have plummeted from over 150,000 in the world down to fewer than 100,000. This only goes to prove the importance of breeding programs, such as that being run at Animal Adventure Park.
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