More than 1.2 million people watched her belatedlygive birthto son Tajiri on April 15at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York. And now,April the giraffeis pregnant again!
For her part, April is eating for two. “The average giraffe eats 10 to 20 lbs. of grain a day, and another 10 to 30 lbs. of hay, and a lot of carrots,” Patch said. “She eats and eats and eats.”
Courtesy Animal Adventure Park
While Patch wouldn’t confirm April’s exact due date, he said the giraffe is expected to give birth in early spring. “We’ll throw out that March window,” he said. “She’s in there.”
The average giraffe is typically pregnant for 15 months, but April has gone up to 16 months before giving birth, Patch said. She was famously pregnant with Tajiri for 16 months.
For 65 days last year, the world was glued to the zoo’s ongoing livestream of April during her pregnancy with Tajiri. Because of her popularity, Animal Adventure Park is already live-streaming April’s enclosure onYouTube.
“Our team of zoologists certainly know the connection she’s had,” Patch said. “The camera is up, and rolling, and they’re watching right now.”
Rumors that April might be pregnant again were first flying back in November, just six months after she gave birth to Tajiri.
“I cannot confirm nor deny the possibility of another pregnancy,” Patch said at the time onGood Morning America. “Are we ready for another giraffe cam, world? You tell me.”
In late June,Patch told fans on Facebookthat staffers were evaluating a month’s worth of “samples” (a.k.a. poop) from April “to test whether or not we’re expecting another giraffe calf.”
“We’ve done a lot watching and a lot looking and we all have our opinions,” zoologist Alysa Swilley told Patch. “But until we’re 100 percent sure, I’m not saying anything.
source: people.com
