by Donald Wood
Last updated: 5:40 PM ET, Mon April 24, 2017
The live stream of the pregnancy and birth of a baby giraffe made headlines in recent weeks, but the upstate New York zoo where it all took place has seen a major boom in visitors and income since the video went viral.
According to The Associated Press, Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York, is the home of April, a giraffe who was preparing to deliver her baby.
During the weeks leading up to the birth, live stream of the giraffe racked up more than 232 million views and 7.6 billion minutes of live watch time. The live stream of the giraffe is also expected to bring more visitors to the zoo, with Patch estimating around 150,000 guests this year, doubling the 2016 numbers.
The zoo isn't the only facility in the area feeling the impact of the viral video, either.
The Doubletree Hilton in nearby Binghamton has also seen a major spike in business, as assistant general manager Eddie Bello said the hotel has sold more than 200 special lodging packages, which include tickets to the zoo, toys and other goodies.
In addition, Greater Binghamton Convention and Visitors Bureau director Judi Hess also said the response to the video has been overwhelming for the area, with people visiting from as far away as England.
[READMORE] READ MORE: 5 Fun Places to See Giraffes for World Giraffe Day[/READMORE]
Now that the baby giraffe has been born, internet marketing experts believe the rural zoo has made hundreds of thousands of dollars. While owners of the zoo, Jordan Patch and his wife, would not reveal how much they have made, the Gofundme campaign alone has raised $150,000 for the care of April, her mate Oliver and their male calf.
The live stream was sponsored by Toys 'R' Us, and the zoo has been selling commemorative items such as tote bags, T-shirts, giraffe prints and more. Patch said the proceeds would be used for zoo upkeep, wildlife conservation in Africa and to help local children with unexpected medical expenses.
"The monies are going to allow the park to continue to grow and improve," Patch told The AP. "But also the money will help support our conservation efforts in Africa, so we're actually providing tangible results for wild giraffes."
While the baby giraffe will eventually be sent to another zoo to help sire more offspring, Animal Adventure Park expects to have the popular baby at its facility for the next year or two. Anyone who fell in love with April can still go see her and her child, but don't wait too long.
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