Even though #giraffewatch is over, the friendships that blossomed out of it during those two months are not.
Millions of people watched as April the giraffe gave birth to her soon-to-be-named calf, but for some the camera wasn't just about April.
Many viewers on WBIR 10News' Facebook Live stream of April and Animal Adventure Park found a common bond as they passed the time watching. Between April's hay showers and feeding times, they spent time bonding with each other, talking about their favorite things, and helping others stay up-to-date with all the latest April updates.
As time went on, they even formed their own online group called "Friends of April the Giraffe and WBIR." By the time April's baby had arrived, that group had as many as 1,800 members. Today, it continues to grow with more than 2,000 members.
Even though giraffe streams at Animal Adventure Park have been scaled down to just once-per-week after the calf's birth, that community is still finding opportunities to continue their friendship offline.
Around 15 members of that fan group met up for lunch Saturday at Austin's Steakhouse in Knoxville. For some, it was the first time they had ever met in person after becoming friends online.
Linda Limpus is credited with being one of the central figures of the April fandom and helping build the friendships that blossomed out of it. She was one of many who spent weeks watching and talking with her new friends in the stream.
"We were crazy enough to spend day, night, midnight, mornings, early mornings, and late afternoons watching," she said. "For some reason, it brought a group of people together who are fabulous, and we wanted to get to know each other."
Most of the people at the luncheon were from East Tennessee, but some traveled from as far as Ohio to meet the people they had spent months getting to know online.
Limpus said she plans to keep the April group going as long as people are interested.
"It's brought together a group of people that would never, ever, ever have met any other way."