Watch Giraffe Cam Live Stream Online, Animal Park Says Birth Is Imminent [Video]
The Animal Adventure Park located in Harpursville, New York announced they are imminently awaiting the birth of a new Reticulated giraffe calf. The mother April is 15-years-old and her mate is 5-year-old male Ollie. This will be the first calf for April and Ollie at the Animal Adventure Park and you can watch as the calf is born live streaming online. The Park has run a 24/7 web cam documenting the event since Feb. 11, 2017. As more people have heard about the upcoming birth, they are tuning in and participating in the chat session hosted at the official YouTube video site. The Park’s staff have participated in chat sessions, frequently answering questions the public has regarding the Park and giraffes as they anxiously await the calf’s arrival.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzJSe9QnMPV8gadzivVITOH4gDmTDaoHq
In addition to watching the live streaming cam, you can stay up-to-date with news from the Park through their official site and on Facebook. Described as a hands-on, educational park, the Animal Adventure Park focuses on conservation efforts and learning experiences. You can find out more about Animal Adventure and read user reviews from those who’ve visited the park at Trip Advisor. Photos show that April and Ollie have a close and loving relationship. You may see photos of the giraffes, including them kissing below.
Watching the live giraffe cam is an educational opportunity for all. As technology expands educational borders, the live cam can be a learning experience for children of all ages. While there are many live streaming cams easily found on the Internet, live giraffe cams are few and far between. Watching a live calf birth is also a rare event. In April, 2015, Animal Planet shared a live streaming video of Katie the giraffe who gave birth live. The event went viral and hundreds of thousands tuned in to watch. You may see the video footage from that birth below. We expect April’s birth to also be a grand event and many are looking forward to watching the new calf make his or her debut live online. Those who are studying wild animals, nature or even Africa as the Reticulated giraffe is originally from Africa will find the giraffe cam and subsequent live birth to be a wonderful teaching tool.
Giraffes are the world’s tallest mammals. According to National Geographic, they can reach heights of 14 feet and up to 19 feet. As the world’s tallest mammals, giraffes reach enormous weights. Male giraffes may weigh up to 2,425 pounds and female giraffes can reach weights of 1,540 pounds. It is easy to tell the difference between male and female giraffes as males are noticeably taller and heavier, and their ossicones are thicker and may even be doubled whereas female giraffes have single ossicones. Ossicones are the horn-like projections on a giraffe’s head. Africa is home to three types of giraffe and the species as a whole is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals according to the official Giraffe Conservation site.
Unlike many animals, giraffes do not come gently into the world. Due to their mother’s tall stature and the fact that female giraffes give birth standing up, baby giraffes or calves fall multiple feet and hit the ground when born. Sometimes the fall is as much as five feet. The fall is an essential aspect of the giraffe’s birth as the impact causes the amniotic sac to break and forces the giraffe to take his or her first breaths.
Amazingly, giraffe calves stand on their own within an hour of birth (most stand up in as little as half an hour) and they can learn how to run less than half a day after being born. Newborn giraffes weigh approximately 100 pounds and stand 6 feet tall. The live giraffe cam isn’t just a good way to learn more about vulnerable species but helps create awareness for conservation efforts.
[Featured Image by Animal Adventure Park (used with permission)]
