April The giraffe, whose pregnancy went viral, died at the age of 20

Unfortunately, it’s the cycle of life.

April, the 18-foot giraffe who became famous in 2017 when her backcountry zoo began broadcasting the final leg of her 16-month pregnancy live, has died at the age of 20.

Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, NY, near Binghamton, announced that April would have to be euthanized because of her worsening arthritis. according to ABC.

“We thank and thank the excellent collective care by the veterinarians and the animal care team of the park, which made April happy and healthy during their more than five-year stay at Animal Adventure,” reads a Facebook post from the park. “Both teams have made every possible effort to be comfortable and prolong their lives while coping with their condition. Adjustments and treatments have been carried out over the past year, including changes to the yard substrate, installation of a state-of-the-art padded barn floor system, and farriers, changes in diet and medicine. The most recent veterinary examination in April noted the acceleration of the condition in April, leading to the determination that euthanasia was the humane and appropriate course of action. “

"The most recent veterinary examination in April noted the acceleration of the condition in April, leading to the determination that euthanasia was the humane and appropriate course of action." said the Animal Adventure Park. — “The most recent veterinary exam in April found the condition was accelerating in April, leading to the determination that euthanasia is the most humane and appropriate course of action,” said Animal Adventure Park.

She died very well known. In February 2017, Animal Adventure Park drew millions of YouTube viewers to a live stream feed from a camera in their living space that showed footage of April, then pregnant. Underneath, 1.2 million viewers alone watched April give birth in April to a male calf named Tajiriwhat hope and trust means in the Swahili language. That was April’s fourth pregnancy.

At the time, the giraffe camera was the second most viewed live channel in YouTube history, with 232 million hits between February and May 2017.

READ China censors the internet. So why not Russia?

1.2 million viewers alone watched April give birth to a male calf named Tajiri.

In 2020, the fifth and youngest calf in April, Azizi, died suddenly at a Texas zoo at the age of 18 months. Azizi had been treated for a parasitic problem and showed signs of improvement, but passed away during a veterinary examination.

After Azizi was born in 2019, Animal Adventure Park announced that April would begin birth control and pull out of its breeding program.

April’s body is now an hour west in Ithaca at Cornell University Veterinary School to undergo an autopsy. She will be cremated after the procedure and her ashes will be returned to Animal Adventure Park.