>> Leslie: WELCOME BACK.
YOUR TIME NOW IS 9:43.
TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE 57 DEGREES.
WE ARE LOOKING LIVE AT THE FEED
OF APRIL THE GIRAFFE.
IT HAS CAPTIVATED THE HEARTS OF
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
>> Mark: WHAT COMPELS SO MANY OF
US TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME OVER
THE COURSE OF A FEW MONTHS JUST
WATCHING A GIRAFFE PACE BACK A
FORTH?
MAR
>> Leslie: ELLIE HOLMES ASKED
THAT QUESTION TO EXPERTS
FAMILIAR WITH GIRAFFE AND HUMAN
BEHAVIOR.
>> IT'S A WEEKDAY AFTERNOON AND
THOUSANDS ARE ON YOUTUBE
PATIENTLY AWAITING THE ARRIVAL
OF APRIL THE GIRAFFE'S CALF.
SHE'S BEEN PREGNANT SINCE 2015
AND REPORTEDLY IN LABOR SINCE
FEBRUARY, SO HOW LONG DOES IT
TAKE FOR A GIRAFFE TO HAVE A
BABY?
GIRAFFES ARE AT ABOUT 15 MONTHS,
SO PRETTY LONG.
ANIMAL SPECIALIST ALLEY COOMBS
SAYS OUR FASCINATION WITH
GIRAFFES HAS A LOT TO DO WITH
JUST HOW GORGEOUS THEY ARE.
>> THEY HAVE THOSE BIG, LONG
NECKS, THOSE COOL -- THEY LOOK
LIKE HORNS ON THE TOP OF THEIR
HEADS.
THEY HAVE THEIR COOL SPOTTED
PATTERN.
>> Reporter: THE GIRAFFES ARE AT
A VULNERABLE STATUS, WHICH IS
JUST BEFORE ENDANGERED.
THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS
SUPPORTED BY ZOOS CAN HELP THAT.
>> WE REALLY RAISE THAT
AWARENESS BY PUTTING THINGS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA.
LIKE, WITH APRIL THE GIRAFFE,
HOW MANY PEOPLE PROBABLY DIDN'T
KNOW ABOUT GIRAFFES UNTIL APRIL
CAME ALONG?
>> Reporter: THERE MIGHT EVEN BE
A LITTLE SCIENCE BEHIND JUST WHY
GIRAFFE CAM WENT VIRAL.
JULIE SWEARINGER RELATES IT TO
THE SMILE EFFECT.
>> WHEN YOU SMILE AT SOMEONE,
THEY ALMOST ALWAYS SMILE BACK.
IN THE DIGITAL WORLD, THERE'S A
SIMILAR EFFECT.
WHEN YOU SHARE SOMETHING
POSITIVE YOU'RE WELCOME GET THAT
RECIPROCATED.
>> Reporter: SHE ALSO COMPARES
IT TO PLAYING THE SLOT MACHINES.
AFTER MONTHS OF WATCHING, PEOPLE
ARE STICKING AROUND FOR A
PAYOFF.
>> SO PEOPLE ARE WATCHING MORE
FREQUENTLY AND THEY'RE STAYING
ON LONGER BECAUSE THEY DON'T
WANT TO MISS THAT BIG EVENT THAT
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
>> Reporter: IN THE MIDST OF SO
MUCH POLITICAL AND SOCIAL
DIVISIVENESS, APRIL MIGHT BE
JUST WHAT WE NEED.
>> AND IT'S HOPE AND IT'S
EXCITEMENT AND IT'S THINGS THAT
EVERYBODY CAN BE EXCITED ABOUT
REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LAND ON
ANY OF THOSE CONTROVERSIAL
TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN SO IN THE
FOREFRONT LATELY.
>> Leslie: IF THIS WERE A DOG OR
A CAT, THE CHANCE OF IT BEING
THIS POPULAR ARE VERY SMALL.
THE NOVELTY OF A GIRAFFE GIVING
BIRTH IS ACTUALLY VERY SPECIAL
EXPERIENCE.
>> Mark: AS FOR GIRAFFES, THE
ZOO SAYS THINGS AS SIMPLE AS
REDUCING YOUR WATER USE AND
RECYCLING COULD DO WONDERS FOR
SAVING OUR ECOSYSTEM.
ELLIE HOLMES JOINS US NOW.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB ON THE
STORY.
>> Leslie: AND WE TALK ABOUT YOU
ALL THE THE TIME ON THE SHOW.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING MORE
REPORTS LIKE THIS.
YOU SAID IT WAS FUN TO ACTUALLY
GET OUT THERE.
>> YEAH, THEY DO THOSE FEEDINGS
A COUPLE TIMES A DAY.
YOU CAN FEED THEM ROMAINE
LETTUCE AND SOME LOAVES.
>> Leslie: NO CARROTS?
>> NO CARROTS, JUST LETTUCE.
THEY SAID THAT KIND OF THE FACT
THAT WE DON'T GET TO INTERACT
WITH GIRAFFES, LIKE WE DO A
KITTEN OR OTHER DOMESTICATED
ANIMALS REALLY HELPS IN TERMS OF
THE THRILL OF APRIL THE GIRAFFE.
>> Mark: HAVE YOU BEEN AS GLUED
TO APRIL CAM AS SHE HAS?
>> NO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WELL, THAT'S HOW IT KIND OF CAME
ABOUT.
I DIDN'T GET IT.
I WAS, LIKE, WHY?
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
WHY DO PEOPLE CARE SO MUCH
>> Mark: RIGHT.
>> Leslie: I THINK SHE HIT IT
RIGHT ON THE HEAD.
YOU WANT THE PAYOUT.
>> RIGHT.
AND BETWEEN THAT, AND THE IDEA
THAT PEOPLE WANT SOMETHING THAT
WE'RE NOT BICKERING ABOUT ON
FACEBOOK.
WE CAN ALL JUST KIND OF SIT
THERE.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IN THE
COMMENTS, TOO. PEOPLE ARE
RETURNING AND THEY RECOGNIZE
OTHER PEOPLE.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT
THEY'RE MAKING FOR DINNER.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
WEATHER IN THEIR CITIE
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DAILY
LIFE.
AT THIS POINT, THEY'RE DONE WITH
APRIL AND THEY'RE THERE FOR THE
RELATIONSHIPS.
>> Mark: SOMETHING IN COMMON
EVERYBODY HAS.
DID THE GIRAFFE EXPERT FROM THE
ZOO MENTION -- I REMEMBER
LEARNING ALL THE TIME THAT
GIRAFFES ARE THE ONLY ANIMAL
THAT DON'T MAKE ANY NOISE.
BUT THEN I THINK THEY CAN MAKE A
NOISE?
>> IT DIDN'T COME UP.
>> Mark: AFTER THIS, SHE MIGHT
BE MAKING A NOISE.
>> Leslie: THEY DON'T SHOW ANY
SIGNS OF LABOR UNTIL THE ACTUAL
BIRTH BEGINS, BECAUSE PREDATORS
WOULD BE WAITING FOR THEM TO
GIVE BIRTH.
>> Mark: ON GMSA, WE CAUGHT A
PANDA BIRTH LIVE.
IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE GRAPHIC
THAN WE THOUGHT.
BUT IT'S MOTHER NATURE DOING HER
THING.
>> Leslie: WILL YOU PLEASE, FOR
ME, PROMISE THAT WE WILL AT
LEAST CHECK IN EVERY DAY?
>> WE WILL.
I PROMISE.
>> Mark: PROMISE?
>> Mike: WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE
GET IT RECORDED.
>> Leslie: TRUST ME, THEY WILL
HAVE IT RECORDED.
>> WE'D NORMALLY BE TELLING YOU
GUYS TO WRAP BY NOW.
>> Mark: SHE WANTS US TO ZIP IT.
>> Leslie: SHE'S LIKE, GO.
>> Mark: DID YOU KNOW GIRAFFES
HAVE SEVEN BONES IN THEIR NECKS,
JUST LIKE WE DO?
>> THEY'RE BORN AT 150 POUNDS,
SIX FEET TALL.