Thousands of people have not been able to peel their eyes from computers in order to watch an ongoing video about a giraffe named April at a zoo called Animal Adventure Park, in New York. April is a 15 year old pregnant giraffe, that was due about 2 weeks ago, and has been touching the hearts of many Americans. At first, not many people were aware of April, but as she became late in her pregnancy she gained a bigger audience.
Due to the big impact on lives April has had, there are live streams of her on Youtube 24/7. These live streams are very easy to locate, and there has been a controversy on whether these should be streamed or not. Ben Piotter, junior, stated, “I think it’s kind of morbid that people are watching it like it’s entertainment.” Many do believe that watching an animal give birth and constantly seeing them on live stream goes against the right of animals.
Disagreeing with Piotter, Lauren Cramer, senior, said, “I think that’s cool that they have the camera, as long as it’s not bothering her because it’s a way for people to learn without disrupting her.” The main purpose of the live feed is for people to learn about the pregnancy of a giraffe without getting in the way. During this time of the year, Animal Adventure Park is currently closed, but many visitors of the park have been curious about the pregnant giraffe they had seen. Therefore, these live streams are also a way to keep the visitors in the know about what is going on.
However, a couple rumors have been going around about April saying that she isn’t actually pregnant, since she was due in mid-February. This is not the case though. Giraffes are known for their talent of hiding a pregnancy, so they make it difficult for viewers to see when they are contracting. This caused the confusion of some watchers who begin to question her pregnancy. Giraffes are generally pregnant for about 15 months, give or take a few weeks. Therefore, it is perfectly healthy that April is still in pregnancy, and none of the vets at the park are concerned.
