April the Giraffe, YouTube sensation, dies at age 20
April the Giraffe, a live stream sensation, died Friday at age 20. Photo courtesy of Animal Adventure Park/Facebook
April 3 (UPI) -- April the Giraffe, a YouTube sensation whose live-streamed births attracted millions of viewers, has died at age 20, a zoo in New York announced.
The veterinary team at Animal Adventure Park said in a Facebook post they made "every possible effort to keep her comfortable and prolong her life," but her arthritis had worsened to the point that "euthanasia was the humane" action.
She died Friday.
At age 20, "April was in her golden years," and had surpassed the average life expectancy of 10 years to 15 years in the wild, the statement from the Harpursville, N.Y., facility, which was April's home for nearly six years, said.
April's fame helped bring awareness to the conservation of giraffes, whose population has declined by 40% over the past 30 years, according to Animal Adventure Park's website. It also states that the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List has a declared the giraffe "vulnerable to extinction."
"We grieve with her many fans, near and far, as we say goodbye to the giraffe that can be credited with making a foothold for giraffe and giraffe conservation awareness in the 21st century," the Animal Adventure Park's Facebook post read. "While her hoofprints in her yard will erode in time, the imprint she has made on the hearts of people around the world will never fade."
April gave birth to five calves, and rose to fame when she birthed her fourth calf, Tajiri, on April 15, 2017, in a YouTube live stream as some 1.2 million people watched. In March 2019, she gave birth to her fifth calf, and her second since arriving at Animal Adventure Park, Azizi, as up to 300,000 viewers watched the livestream. Azizi, who was moved to East Texas Zoo and Gator Park, died from a twisted gut around his cranial mesenteric artery in October, the zoo in Texas said in a Facebook post.
April the Giraffe, a live stream sensation, died Friday at age 20. Photo courtesy of Animal Adventure Park/Facebook
April 3 (UPI) -- April the Giraffe, a YouTube sensation whose live-streamed births attracted millions of viewers, has died at age 20, a zoo in New York announced.
The veterinary team at Animal Adventure Park said in a Facebook post they made "every possible effort to keep her comfortable and prolong her life," but her arthritis had worsened to the point that "euthanasia was the humane" action.
She died Friday.
At age 20, "April was in her golden years," and had surpassed the average life expectancy of 10 years to 15 years in the wild, the statement from the Harpursville, N.Y., facility, which was April's home for nearly six years, said.
April's fame helped bring awareness to the conservation of giraffes, whose population has declined by 40% over the past 30 years, according to Animal Adventure Park's website. It also states that the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List has a declared the giraffe "vulnerable to extinction."
"We grieve with her many fans, near and far, as we say goodbye to the giraffe that can be credited with making a foothold for giraffe and giraffe conservation awareness in the 21st century," the Animal Adventure Park's Facebook post read. "While her hoofprints in her yard will erode in time, the imprint she has made on the hearts of people around the world will never fade."
April gave birth to five calves, and rose to fame when she birthed her fourth calf, Tajiri, on April 15, 2017, in a YouTube live stream as some 1.2 million people watched. In March 2019, she gave birth to her fifth calf, and her second since arriving at Animal Adventure Park, Azizi, as up to 300,000 viewers watched the livestream. Azizi, who was moved to East Texas Zoo and Gator Park, died from a twisted gut around his cranial mesenteric artery in October, the zoo in Texas said in a Facebook post.
Baby giraffes are usually born around 6 feet tall and weighing around 125 pounds to 150 pounds, according to Save Giraffes Now.
Tajiri, now 3 years old, remains at the Animal Adventure Park, the park's website shows
Tajiri, now 3 years old, remains at the Animal Adventure Park, the park's website shows
April the giraffe, who went viral with 2017 birth, dies at 20
Phil Helsel
The giraffe's veterinary team said that euthanizing April was the only humane course of action.
Last summer the park staff noticed the 15-foot-tall animal was acting differently and she was found to have osteoarthritis, the team said. April was shifting her weight from leg to leg and laying on the ground more often. The vets started treatment and management, but the most recent exam showed advanced osteoarthritis and that the irreversible condition was accelerating at a rapid rate, the zoo said.
"The severity of her condition has been outpacing our ability to control April's comfort," the veterinary team said.
Giraffes typically live 20 to 25 years in captivity, about a decade longer than in the wild, and April was 20, it said.
"While we knew this day would eventually come, our hearts are hurting," Jordan Patch, owner of Animal Adventure Park, said.
April gave birth to another male calf, Aziz, in 2019. Azizi was moved to a Texas zoo, and in 2020, he died of a condition that involved a twisted gut. The zoo said the condition was entirely unexpected and unpreventable.
Phil Helsel
4/3/2021
April the giraffe, who gave birth in 2017 in an event watched by people all over the world, has died, the New York zoo where she lived said Friday.
April the giraffe, who gave birth in 2017 in an event watched by people all over the world, has died, the New York zoo where she lived said Friday.
© Provided by NBC News
The giraffe, who was 20, was euthanized because of worsening arthritis that increasingly impacted her quality of life, Animal Adventure Park said in a statement. The veterinary team said it did its best to make April comfortable, but her condition got so bad the team could no longer do so.
"We grieve with her many fans, near and far, as we say goodbye to the giraffe that can be credited with making a foothold for giraffe and giraffe conservation awareness in the 21st century," the zoo in Harpursville said.
More than a million people watched on a livestream when April gave birth to a calf — a male named Tajiri but called Taj — in 2017. His arrival followed weeks of waiting; the zoo even launched a text-alert service to keep fans up to date.
In all, more than 232 million views were logged on YouTube during the weeks before and during the birth.
At one point on the day of Taj's birth, more than 1.2 million people were watching simultaneously, YouTube has said. At the time, it was in the top five most-watched live events ever on the video platform, it said.
The giraffe, who was 20, was euthanized because of worsening arthritis that increasingly impacted her quality of life, Animal Adventure Park said in a statement. The veterinary team said it did its best to make April comfortable, but her condition got so bad the team could no longer do so.
"We grieve with her many fans, near and far, as we say goodbye to the giraffe that can be credited with making a foothold for giraffe and giraffe conservation awareness in the 21st century," the zoo in Harpursville said.
More than a million people watched on a livestream when April gave birth to a calf — a male named Tajiri but called Taj — in 2017. His arrival followed weeks of waiting; the zoo even launched a text-alert service to keep fans up to date.
In all, more than 232 million views were logged on YouTube during the weeks before and during the birth.
At one point on the day of Taj's birth, more than 1.2 million people were watching simultaneously, YouTube has said. At the time, it was in the top five most-watched live events ever on the video platform, it said.
The giraffe's veterinary team said that euthanizing April was the only humane course of action.
Last summer the park staff noticed the 15-foot-tall animal was acting differently and she was found to have osteoarthritis, the team said. April was shifting her weight from leg to leg and laying on the ground more often. The vets started treatment and management, but the most recent exam showed advanced osteoarthritis and that the irreversible condition was accelerating at a rapid rate, the zoo said.
"The severity of her condition has been outpacing our ability to control April's comfort," the veterinary team said.
Giraffes typically live 20 to 25 years in captivity, about a decade longer than in the wild, and April was 20, it said.
"While we knew this day would eventually come, our hearts are hurting," Jordan Patch, owner of Animal Adventure Park, said.
April gave birth to another male calf, Aziz, in 2019. Azizi was moved to a Texas zoo, and in 2020, he died of a condition that involved a twisted gut. The zoo said the condition was entirely unexpected and unpreventable.
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