THE BABY WATCH IS ON!

ANIMAL PLANET AND DALLAS ZOO DELIVER GIRAFFE BIRTH LIVE TELEVISION EVENT AND 24/7 LIVE BIRTH CAM TO AUDIENCES ON-AIR AND ONLINE

--OH BABY! Animal Planet L!VE Debuts 24/7 Live Birth Online Experience Featuring Mother-to-Be Katie the Giraffe--

--Animal Planet to Bring Viewers the Event On-Air as It Happens with GIRAFFE BIRTH LIVE Television Event--

--Baby Watch Extends to Social Media with Around the Clock Updates and Conversation Using #GiraffeBirthLive--

(Silver Spring, Md. and Dallas) - The baby giraffe watch starts now as all eyes focus on the Dallas Zoo. It's not sticking one's neck out to say that the birth of these majestic creatures represents nature at its most inspiring - and Animal Planet is covering every second of this amazing event. America's next superstar mom is Katie, a reticulated giraffe at the Dallas Zoo who is preparing to give birth to a calf any day now. Animal Planet, dedicated to immersing fans with unparalleled access to the animal kingdom, is teaming up with the Dallas Zoo to welcome Katie's newborn into the world as only the network can - online with Animal Planet L!VE's 24/7 GIRAFFE BIRTH LIVE CAM and on television with the real-time special GIRAFFE BIRTH LIVE whenever the moment arrives.

While no one knows precisely when Katie will deliver, veterinarians are on watch and Animal Planet has animal lovers covered with their unfiltered, 24/7 cams from the Dallas Zoo. A reticulated giraffe, Katie is one of approximately 4,700 who remain, down from an estimated 31,000 in 1998, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Through the Species Survival Plan, zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums - including the Dallas Zoo - have built programs dedicated to appropriate breeding for genetic diversity.

Through the GIRAFFE BIRTH LIVE CAM, live now at apl.tv/giraffe, fans can observe Katie both in the live feed and through a series of on-demand videos providing background on her life at the Dallas Zoo and shedding light on preparations for her birth. Fans can also tune in to daily feedings at approximately 5pm Central Time. With night vision cameras capturing her movements in the evenings, there are plenty of ways for viewers everywhere to spend some time with Katie.

"Just like our viewers, we're all on pins and needles waiting for the animal kingdom's biggest birth of the year. The Dallas Zoo - and Katie, of course - are the perfect partners as we work together on the biggest baby-watch anywhere," said Rick Holzman, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Animal Planet. "Animal Planet connects audiences with the wild world when and where they want - from their living rooms to their laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Since its launch, Animal Planet L!VE has become the go-to online destination for live animal feeds; featuring puppies and kittens, sharks, giraffes, and more."

The Animal Planet team is monitoring the live cams and will bring the mother of all mother's days to audiences by blasting out birth alerts through email, text messages and social media platforms, and cover every angle of the maternity stall with eight strategically placed cams. Commentary from a zoo expert will provide context and play-by-play of the event. Fans can also follow along and join conversations via social media by using #GiraffeBirthLive. On-air, Animal Planet will feature cut-ins during programming at critical moments during labor, birth and possibly the baby's first steps.

"We embarked on this remarkable project because it's important to show the effort, skill and dedication our staff provides to the animals in our care," said Gregg Hudson, president and CEO of the Dallas Zoo. "This partnership will give the world a better perspective on the responsibility we shoulder as an accredited zoological park."

Fans can visit apl.tv/giraffe to check in on Katie - whether on their smartphone or tablet, or through the Animal Planet L!VE app available through Amazon Fire, Roku and Xbox.

About Animal Planet

Animal Planet, a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. Animal Planet consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 94 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; Animal Planet L!VE, the go-to digital destination for round-the-clock, unfiltered access to the animal kingdom; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service, and merchandising extensions.

About the Dallas Zoo

The Dallas Zoo, named one of the nation's Top 10 Zoos by USA TODAY, is the largest zoological experience in Texas. Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the zoo features a 106-acre park, thousands of animals, and an education department that offers programs for all ages. The zoo is located at 650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway (I-35 at Marsalis) and is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit DallasZoo.com or follow the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter (@DallasZoo), Instagram (@dallaszoo) or Pinterest (/dallaszoo).