After waiting anxiously for weeks, April the Giraffe safely delivered her baby calf early this morning at the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, N.Y.
The zoo reported at about 7:54 am Saturday morning that 15-year-old April the Giraffe had gone into labor alert.
The zoo went live to broadcast the birth on Facebook and Youtube.
At the start of the video, April can be seen walking around her indoor stall with the calf’s two front hooves dangling from her backside. After about 28 minutes, the calf can be seen dropping approximately six feet to the ground commencing the start of its life.
April was not alone during the birth. Oliver, her companion and father of the calf, along with zoo staff were right by April’s side during labor. This is the fourth calf for April and the first for Oliver and for the zoo themselves.
The newborn reticulated giraffe is expected to weigh 150 pounds and stand about 6 feet tall. The zoo will be holding a naming contest for the calf.
The internet was eager to witness the long awaited birth as the live broadcast was viewed over a combined 6 million times since ending a short while ago. Luckily for those who did not wake up in time, the live stream is not over. You can still watch April and Oliver interact with their newborn calf here.
