April the giraffe, who became a webcam star in 2017 when she delivered a calf live online, has died at age 20, the New York animal park where she lived reported on Facebook.
"It is with the heaviest of hearts that Animal Adventure Park announces the tremendous loss of our beloved April the Giraffe," the post reads. "Euthanasia was carried out at April's home in Harpursville this morning, due to her worsening arthritis, in accordance with the recommendations of her veterinary team. 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."
It is with the heaviest of hearts that Animal Adventure Park announces the tremendous loss of our beloved April the...
Posted by Animal Adventure Park on Friday, April 2, 2021
A live webcam in April's pen went online in February 2017, and thousands of fans watched her during the last weeks of her 15-month pregnancy. More than 500,000 people were watching when baby Tajiri arrived on April 15 of that year.
The park's Facebook post notes that veterinarians first noticed osteoarthritis in April's feet in July 2020, and her mobility declined since then.
"While we knew this day would eventually come, our hearts are hurting," the park's owner, Jordan Patch, said on Facebook. "April, in her own special way, changed the world."