Park Keepers: April the Giraffe 'Is Big, Udders Are Full'

HARPURSVILLE, N.Y. (CBS4) - While many have lost hope for April the pregnant giraffe, conditions still show she is expecting a calf. The Animal Adventure Park briefed viewers Tuesday night, saying "she is big, udders are full, light discharge." They continued by saying... not much else.

The update proves to be some hope we'll see a calf born in the near future. Keepers stated "April continues to carry her great deameanor" and "she looks, and is acting, great!"

Weather conditions should be good enough to allow for some play time outside on Wednesday.

As our previous story details April still doesn't seem to like her grain these days.

THINGS TO KNOW:
April is 15 – her 4th calf
April has never lost a calf nor had a stillborn – odd rumor
Oliver is 5 – his 1st calf

They have some of the biggest pens in the nation (sq ft per animal). We take pride in our indoor housing and the level of enrichment and care to keep them happy and healthy.

The calf will weigh around 150lb and will be about 6′ tall at birth.
The front hooves will come out first followed by the snout.

Mom will naturally raise the calf, with weaning could take between 6-10 months, maybe longer. We will not rush this process – it is just a documented range of captive weaning.

Once the calf is born, we will have a contest to name it.

The keepers will go in with April, clean her pen, give her treats (but not Oliver). He is a bull – and a bull is a bull is a bull!

Giraffes are pregnant for 15 months

Upon naturally weaning, the calf will move on to another facility to start a breeding program there. We cannot retain offspring, as it would lead to incestuous mating and undermine the genetics of the program and species.

Those "things" on their heads are called ossicones.

Bulls (male giraffes) only really care about two things- fighting and the unmentionable….
Oliver may share space with April, but for short periods. Bulls take no part in rearing young.

They eat hay and specialized giraffe diet but love romaine lettuce and carrot treats.

April's water source, enrichment, and solo hay feeder are out of sight of the camera view.

This is Animal Adventure's first giraffe calf.

The Animal Adventure Park set up a GoFundMe account for those wishing to donate to help out the giraffe "family fund."