We all know the legend that elephants are supposed to have great memories, but one elephant calf at the Fort Worth Zoo is getting known for a different talent — picking winners for bowl games. Last year, the Fort Worth Zoo’s Asian elephant calf Brazos ended a seven-year losing streak when he picked the L. A. Rams to win the LVI Super Bowl. This year, the Fort Worth Zoo’s lucky charm punted the Eagles football for this year’s official pick.
Brazos was cheered on by his mom Bluebonnet, and No.1 Cheerleader, Angel, from the sidelines as he used every bit of his 1,610-pound pachyderm frame to plow through an elephant sized football with the Eagles emblem on it. A video released by the zoo shows Brazos taking pieces of the football for a run around his mouth after ramming into the logo with wild abandon.
“We have high hopes for the direct descendent of the Fort Worth Zoo’s original prognosticating pachyderm, Rasha,” a spokesperson from the zoo says.
But this is not a first, the Zoo’s animals have been predicting Super Bowl outcomes since 1998.
According to Fort Worth Zoo officials, Rasha has the most picks under her belt, with a record 10 selections. This is why the zoo says they are hopeful that Brazos will be able to keep the streak alive. But according to officials, this activity isn’t just fun to watch, it also enhances the animal’s well-being.
“[This] enriching activity itself enhances the animal’s environment and promotes psychological wellbeing by changing the complexity of its habitat,” an official says. “We’re crossing our fingers for a correct pick and saying, “Fly Eagles, fly.”
