I was pleasantly surprised when April showed up in my Facebook feed, on my TV and in conversations with friends over the last few weeks. Who is the latest “it girl”? April is the very pregnant giraffe at Animal Adventure Park in Upstate New York. So, how did a small zoo grab so much attention with its live video feed
reaching more than 1 billion views?
Operating without a communications staff, the park’s owner began using Facebook to live-stream April’s pregnancy as a way to promote the park, but also to educate the public about giraffes, which are currently on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Viewers steadily increased over the last month with April making headlines across the country. Today, there is coverage across national news outlets, in local media markets and of course a major social media blitz. It is clear that the public is in need of a positive, hopeful story given the attention.
However, when animal rights activists labeled Animal Adventure Park’s live-feed as sexually explicit last week it was briefly removed from YouTube. Via a Facebook Live video, the park owner successfully combatted any criticism with a heartfelt, but straightforward message about the park’s goal to create enjoyment for those interested in April, while also educating the public about giraffes. His honesty has been key to captivating a far-reaching audience and his ability to handle negativity will surely help the zoo achieve future success.
Now, while the world is watching, let’s hope April has a speedy and smooth delivery.