Community Chat

[SilleeMee]

I read that April had five babies total.

[gidgetgh]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

I read that April had five babies total.

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Yes, 5 total.

[Pearlee]

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@gidgetgh wrote:

I have cried on and off all afternoon.  I still faithfully followed her and the park.  She was the best giraffe ever.  So tolerant and welcoming of people.  Just seemed so happy all the time.  I am so sad.

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@gidgetgh  I thought about you right away when I saw this.  I'm sad for April and you too.  😢

[spiderw]

I am saddened to hear this news as I am whenever an animal passes, whether it be in the wild, at a refuge or a pet. I have loved animals since I was a young child and cherished each pet I had.  

Giraffes are hunted in the wild and each death is another tragedy for this planet.  I thank all those who cared for April and did what they could to give her a happy safe home.

[January121]

Aww ... so sad 😪

[HerRoyaLioness]

Awww, such sad news - I lost sleep waiting for her to have that baby!  I was with her all the way, 💗

She did have another baby in 2019 and I thought at the time they were pushing the envelope with breeding her again so soon. ( pregnancy lasts 15 months)

I know these places need money, but they did profit over her to the point of charging money to get immediate notification of the birth.  And then breeding her again right way seemed like an attempt to get more attention/money and not for the good of the animal. 

[Mz iMac]

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@gidgetgh wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

As often as they bred her, I'm not surprised.  They probably wore her out.  Didn't she recently have a calf?  Again. 

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no, she didn't. 

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@gidgetgh  Yes she did:  3/2019  That one died 2020.

@Kachina624 

[Greeneyedlady21]

She was 20. Giraffes in captivity generally live 20-25 years

Statement from the park

Beginning in the summer of 2020, the staff at Animal Adventure Park began reporting changes in April’s mobility. The park’s veterinarians radiographed April’s feet in July 2020 and noted the onset of osteoarthritis. The radiographs showed a loss of joint space and subchondral bone collapse in her left hind leg, which can be expected in a giraffe of her age. In addition to the joint supplements, the park began multi-modal management of osteoarthritis including measures such as pain medications, anti-inflammatories, hoof trimming, installation of padded flooring, and dietary changes in hopes of slowing down the progression of her condition. During each visit by the park’s veterinarians, we assessed and discussed April’s quality of life, which has remained a top priority while managing her condition. Unfortunately, over time, what we saw was April increasingly shifting her weight from limb to limb, a continual decline in mobility, and spending a lot more time laying recumbent. The most recent set of radiographs taken in early March to evaluate her condition showed significant and progressing degeneration of the joints in her lower leg. The severity of her condition has been outpacing our ability to control April’s comfort. The March 2021 observation reported advanced osteoarthritis, interphalangeal subluxation in the left rear hoof, and lameness and angular joint abnormalities in all feet.

“Relating these arthritic changes to personal pets (dogs, cats, horse) and even humans, can help us better understand and relate to the condition. Lameness and arthritis are amplified in animals as large as giraffes. While a small dog can compensate, large species, like giraffes, can deteriorate quickly. Despite Animal Adventure Park’s multi-faceted approach to mitigate April’s condition, it is irreversible and advancing at a rapid rate. As hard of a decision as it is, for a veterinary team and facility, it is decided that euthanasia is the most humane decision to make at this time.”

[gidgetgh]

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@HerRoyaLioness wrote:

Awww, such sad news - I lost sleep waiting for her to have that baby!  I was with her all the way, 💗

She did have another baby in 2019 and I thought at the time they were pushing the envelope with breeding her again so soon. ( pregnancy lasts 15 months)

I know these places need money, but they did profit over her to the point of charging money to get immediate notification of the birth.  And then breeding her again right way seemed like an attempt to get more attention/money and not for the good of the animal. 

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@HerRoyaLioness  In the wild, she would have gotten pregnant a lot sooner than that.  She had the vets ok to get pregnant again. AAP takes great care of their animals.

[Anonymous032819]

They did the kindest thing by not letting her suffer.💔😢