You may not be aware of it, but people have been watching Animal Adventure Park’s giraffe cam for a little more than two months, waiting for April the giraffe updates on Facebook and hoping that April finally gives birth. There have been many false alarms, and despite the giraffe cam and AAP Facebook page both being advertised as “conflict-free zones,” there has been some negativity seeping in at times. But people are still patiently waiting, as April heads into Easter Sunday without having given birth to her fourth calf yet. And as some have observed, AAP’s live cam is seemingly a tool of unity in today’s polarizing times.
Since the live giraffe cam’s rather quiet arrival in the second week of February, people have been faithfully tuning in, wishing April the giraffe the best, and oftentimes thanking Harpursville, New York-based Animal Adventure Park for the giraffe cam and the unusual diversion it has provided. Live cam viewers and Facebook visitors also have pleasant online exchanges with each other, instead of the intense virtual debates that are commonplace on social media these days. But as a recent report stated, the long wait for April to give birth has turned the “conflict-free zones” of the giraffe cam and Facebook page into an occasional battlefield.
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that there have been several Facebook users accusing Animal Adventure Park of turning the April the Giraffe craze into a money-making endeavor. Yet there have been many more who have staunchly defended the park from its detractors, including one woman who expressed her disappointment that a once-peaceful and uniting place has had some negativity seeping in.
“It is sad to see that what has brought so many people together is now becoming a forum to complain.”
So who wants to chip in & get April the giraffe a c-section?!? My patience is wearing thin! Lol ???? #NoHotchNoWatch pic.twitter.com/8jk7vm4SLI
— Jacquelyn Stockwell (@pinkluv212) April 6, 2017
But even with “naysayers” accusing Animal Adventure Park of using giraffe cam viewers to monetize its operations or claiming April’s pregnancy is “fake news,” many believe that April’s broader purpose is to unite a nation that could often be divided on certain issues. The Inquisitr wrote an op-ed on the topic two weeks ago, and in the latest pro-April opinion piece of this kind, Newsweek said on Thursday that the story of April is still a feel-good story when most other news reports tend to sow intrigue and divisiveness among people.
“The giraffe’s ability to be content and resilient in the face of a 24-hour news frenzy – even if she has no idea any of this is happening – should be a lesson to all who have seen even a brief moment of her pregnancy. In a time of great uncertainty and change, April is providing hope, light and a beautiful distraction from an increasingly complicated world.”
April the giraffe's pregnancy is giving hope to millions https://t.co/rpVfXgHAkl pic.twitter.com/6hD1nMXA1s
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) April 14, 2017
The Newsweek report also cited a Sacramento giraffe expert who, like other specialists have done in recent weeks, stressed that predicting when a giraffe like April would give birth is not an exact science.
As AAP’s April the giraffe updates wax and wane in terms of providing big developments, some other publications are looking for less orthodox signs that April may soon be giving birth, finally yielding some payoff for the hundreds of thousands who have watched the Animal Adventure Park giraffe cam since it debuted in February.
With Easter Sunday having definite religious and spiritual significance for a lot of us, Patch brought up an interesting point from an earlier April the Giraffe update last month – Animal Adventure Park’s live giraffe cam picked up an “omen” of April’s imminent labor, with an imprint in her bedding resembling the shape of a baby giraffe’s face and neck. While that took place on March 5, there’s an outside chance it might be a sign of something due to happen in the coming days, or even hours.
As for today’s actual April the giraffe update, Animal Adventure Park reported more of the same – light discharge and a moderate appetite – and confirmed that active labor will be the next big change to report on.
Do you believe the Animal Adventure Park giraffe cam and its general “conflict-free” nature is indeed uniting America, or maybe even the world, in a time when people tend to disagree on a lot of things? And are you still waiting for April the giraffe to give birth, despite the long wait? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
[Featured Image by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images]
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