CHASE JEFFERY

Before Beyoncé and her twins, there was April and Tajiri. The first pregnancy of 2017 to break the internet—receiving coverage in every major publication from the New York Times to Buzzfeed, getting the monologue treatment from James Corden, and inspiring a viral spoof narrated by Tom Hiddleston—was that of 15-year-old Somali giraffe, April.

 

For two months, millions worldwide found themselves captivated by a YouTube livestream of the mother-to-be’s pen from Animal Adventure Park in upstate New York, not far from the city. The channel showed the second fastest growth in YouTube history, rapidly racking up over 300 million views as the world waited anxiously for April’s big delivery. Finally, in the month of April, over 30 million live viewers watched the viral superstar give birth to a healthy baby boy. He was named Tajiri—the Swahili word for hope—which is exactly what this beautiful family represents for the park, its owner Jordan Patch, its staff of 30 and its 200-plus residents.

 

Catch the next chapter of this global phenomenon on WILD: NEW YORK, a heartwarming and enlightening new series that reconnects viewers with new mom, April, and takes them on an unprecedented, exclusive and all-access journey deep into the heart of the world’s most buzzed about animal refuge. Adjusting to motherhood and celebrity life isn’t the easiest challenge, but April does it with style. Thankfully, there’s a motley crew of characters—fuzzy, cuddly, feathered, scaled, ferocious, slithery, adorable and everything in between—ready to soak up the limelight.