Wildlife Park Pulling April the Giraffe's Live Stream After Injury
Fans of April have bombarded Animal Adventure Park with concerned emails after the new mom twisted her leg
Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York, recently announced on Facebook that it plans to pull the live stream of the mom giraffe’s pen sometime this week, just days after she gave birth to her eagerly awaited baby boy.
According to News 10, one of the reasons behind this decision is the reaction to an injury April sustained on Monday. The 15-year-old giraffe twisted her leg, causing her to noticeably favor one of her other long stalks. The zoo said this type of injury is normal for a long-legged animal and is the equivalent to a human rolling their ankle, uncomfortable but temporary.
On Tuesday, Animal Adventure Park announced that the mother giraffe’s stance and gait was almost back to normal, but this hasn’t stopped an onslaught of concerned emails.
“We appreciate concern but the bogging down of email servers and other platforms is the exact reason the giraffe cam will need to be pulled,” the zoo responded on Facebook. “While we appreciate the concern, it is interfering with normal park operations and preparation for opening; at a period when our resource of time is limited and cannot be hindered.”
From the beginning, the zoo had planned to pull the live stream about one week after the birth, so keepers could focus on the calf’s care. Now, the live stream will likely end a little earlier, probably between Wednesday or Friday, so the staff can work on preparing the animals and the facility for the park’s reopening for the season in May without distraction.
Aside from the slight injury, April and her calf continue to do well and are bonding beautifully. Even dad, who is usually not part of the child rearing process, has shown interest in getting to know the new arrival.
The calf has yet to be named. Animal Adventure Park is holding a contest to pick the baby’s name, and animal lovers can submit 5 suggestions for a mere $1 each. All of the proceeds from this contest will go to giraffe conservation and zoo improvement for the animals. After several days of suggestions, the zoo will narrow down the submissions to the top ten names, from which fans will be able to choose.