This is apparently not an April Fool’s Day joke — staff at Animal Adventure Park in upstate New York say that April the giraffe may finally go into labor and give birth this weekend. They’ve been waiting for a long time (since February at least) and say that now all the signs are there that the blessed event may be soon. Here’s the live feed, now appropriately sponsored by Toys R Us:
And if you need something to get you through the wait, I highly recommend the Decorah Eagles, http://www.ustream.tv/channel/MbgzN2Kpajp (this is a link to the north nest that already has two little bobbleheads).
And two at the main nest! http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles
She’ll wait till nobody’s watching and have it quickly in a blind spot where the camera can’t see her.
Just a moment ago, April got fed by hand up close to the camera, which meant lots of giraffe tongue action. I grabbed a pair of screen shots:
It probably won’t be a general rule of cuteness, but I think it’s adorable the way you can see both eyes from underneath their heads. They are really adapted to see things below them.
Awesome point!
I love giraffe tongues! They’re so long and so blue!
And poor April is looking a *lot* more pregnant than she was last month. I know exactly what’s going through her head: “This kid better get out of me soon or I’m going to curl up in the corner and cry!” At least that was how I was at that stage of pregnancy. And I only had to go through it for *nine* months, too — poor April has been pregnant for well over a year! I hope, for her sake, that she pops soon. It is SO uncomfortable at the very end of a pregnancy.
And giraffe tongues are so SOFT! Sweet animals.
Have you actually touched a giraffe tongue, Murray? Wow! Of course, even if you have, it could have been involuntary. I’ve known at least a couple of people to get a *very* unexpected lick!
I was at the zoo and held up some grass or something to the giraffe who then spread its front legs wide so it could reach my hand and gently took the food and I got licked in the process.
So cute – I bet April is super ready for that baby to arrive!
Giraffes are such lovely animals! Their markings always remind me of jigsaw puzzles. Anyway, I hope April has her baby safely and soon!
I dunno, I think they are punking us with some sort of video loop as when I checked on this before bed last night ‘the sun was still up’ in the feed. Unless it is artificial lighting but you would think normal lights off routine would be better.
… s t i l l w a i t i n g …
April .. April is here now .. you can .. you know .. have the calf now ..
April is still keeping us guessing! Maybe her calf is camera-shy. 🙂