The Superbowl-Predicting Orangutan Has Chosen the Seahawks

The Seahawks can take the field knowing that at least one hairy mammal is rooting for them

orangutang
Not Eli, but probably looks a lot like him. Roni G

Bad news for the Denver Broncos: Eli isn’t on their side. No, not Eli Manning. Eli the Ape. 

The Superbowl-predicting orangutan from Utah made his prediction yesterday, quickly selecting the Seahawks helmet (or, the paper-mache ball with the Seahawks logo on it). This, apparently, indicated that Eli believes that the Seahawks would win the Superbowl. 

You might not expect the Broncos to be shaking in their boots over this, but Eli isn’t just some random orangutang. He has successfully predicted the past six Superbowl winners this way. The orangutan hasn’t been wrong since 2006. And this year, according to Erica Hansen, the zookeeper in charge of Eli at the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, he made his selection with no hesitation. 

Hogle said that many of the keepers were disappointed in his choice, but Eli didn’t seem to care, according to the Associated Press:

After he made his prognostication, Eli was joined by his mate, Eve, and daughter, Acara, and allowed to smash, play and eat the papier-mache helmets.

If the Broncos even know about Eli’s prediction, they’re probably not taking it too seriously. But the Seahawks can take the field knowing that at least one hairy mammal is rooting for them.

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