# who else is watching April the pregnant giraffe **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 1, 2017, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504 "2017-04-01T16:09:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/81 "2017-04-12T01:50:20Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > … She couldn’t eat and was skin and bones when they got her. She’s in very poor condition and is even more fragile after giving birth… You can really see now how skinny she is, especially when you view her from her back. I’m hopeful Shelly can get her back to good health. Evolene really has a sweet face. Today watching April ('s empty room and open door), I was certain she would give birth outside and out of sight.😛 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/82 "2017-04-12T06:55:51Z")
I think out in the wild, a giraffe would avoid giving birth in a location where she and her baby would be exposed and vulnerable. If she went into labor outside, her instincts would tell her to get back inside, in seclusion. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/83 "2017-04-12T23:35:59Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Hey, you work at the Memphis Zoo? Throw Matt a high five for me, and tell him I promise I won’t let my wife won’t steal the new baby hippo whenever we visit. Oh no I don’t work there. I just go pretty much every week. I will tell the baby hippo to run if she sees your wife though! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/84 "2017-04-14T00:50:07Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I think out in the wild, a giraffe would avoid giving birth in a location where she and her baby would be exposed and vulnerable. If she went into labor outside, her instincts would tell her to get back inside, in seclusion. I’m not sure there’s anywhere in a giraffe’s natural habitat where they aren’t exposed and vulnerable. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qlWv6RhsVmc/maxresdefault.jpg "Incredible! Giraffe giving birth in the wild!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlWv6RhsVmc) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/85 "2017-04-14T17:51:18Z")
April is pacing around her pen today. More than the previous days. I didn’t realize how unusual that is until I noticed Oliver. He stands still much of the time. I assume that’s a giraffe’s normal behavior? I check in on April each morning and evening for a few minutes. I don’t expect to see the birth live. But I know it’ll be posted afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/86 "2017-04-14T22:53:38Z")
Why is she kept in such a small pen? It seems pretty cramped in there for such a large animal. ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/87 "2017-04-14T23:23:37Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > Why is she kept in such a small pen? It seems pretty cramped in there for such a large animal. Apparently she has one of the larger pens in North America. I think it may look so small due to the particular perspective of the camera. She has been walking up a storm today! And it looks like the baby may have dropped some. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/88 "2017-04-14T23:37:14Z")
Yeah, her pen is 40’x40’. My backyard is 25’x35’. ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/89 "2017-04-15T11:23:17Z")
A hoof is out! Baby on the way. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/90 "2017-04-15T11:40:10Z")
Two hooves now. Baby is imminent! ---
**Author:** ![Novalyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@Novalyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novalyne)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/91 "2017-04-15T11:49:58Z")
Many thanks to Sadie (my adorable weiner dog) for waking me up so early. Checked on April while making coffee. At first the hoof blended in to the wood of her stall, then her tail came behind it. I was like _blink blink blink_ is that a hoof? That IS a hoof! So excited! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/92 "2017-04-15T11:57:12Z")
HOOVES!!! I’m seeing HOOVES!!! FINALLY!!! April keeps bending around, like she’s saying “What the fuck is coming outta me???” ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/93 "2017-04-15T12:23:44Z")
Oliver looks thrilled (not). “Whatevs.” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/94 "2017-04-15T12:26:02Z")
She keeps licking the little legs as they stick out of her, probably to clean or stimulate them. Meanwhile, Oliver seems to be curious, when he’s not just pacing back and forth. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/95 "2017-04-15T12:33:08Z")
finally! hope it all goes well 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/96 "2017-04-15T12:42:12Z")
At this rate, it should be out by Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/97 "2017-04-15T12:46:42Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > At this rate, it should be out by Christmas. Yes, I thought births by animals like giraffes, antelopes, gnus, etc. were very fast, to limit the period of vulnerability to predators. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/98 "2017-04-15T12:51:21Z")
It doesn’t look like she’s in any hurry. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/99 "2017-04-15T12:56:08Z")
My husband just said, “Now I understand why they have such long tongues.” ---
**Author:** ![Novalyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@Novalyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novalyne)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504/100 "2017-04-15T12:59:36Z")
Right in the middle of labor and still wants carrots! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-watching-april-the-pregnant-giraffe/783504.md?page=6)