Want to know who will win the World Cup? Maybe ask these guys.
Credit: Kathryn Scott Osler/The Denver Post
Paul the Octopus (God rest his soul) stole all the headlines in South Africa 2010 for his incredible knack for correctly predicting match outcomes. Many critters are keen to follow in Paul’s tentacles for the World Cup in Brazil.
Paul the Octopus
This eight-legged animal’s playing field was such: Paul was given two different glass cases filled with mussels, each with the flag of a football team. Given two different glass cases filled with mussels, each with the flag of a football team, Paul would decide by which box he ate the food from. In Euro 2008, Paul correctly predicted the winners of four out of six games, but perfected his skill for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, getting eight for eight, including the final and third place playoff.
Pandas
The Giant Panda Rescue and Disease Control Center in Dujiangyan, China, have selected two of their offspring to be Paul’s heirs. But instead of reaching for mussels, these pandas would have to select between two trees to climb.
Elephants
In Euro 2012, Krakow-based Citta the elephant forecasted that hosts Poland would beat Greece in the opening game. Unfortunately for Citta, the group game ended in a draw. Last year, Germany-based Nelly correctly chose Bayern Munich to win the 2013 Champions League final.
Ferrets
Fred the ferret from Kharkov in eastern Ukraine tried to guess who’s going to win matches by choosing food from plates carrying flags of the competing teams.
Pig
Kiev’s psychic pig Funtik was busy predicting results in Euro 2012 before a topless protest by Ukrainian feminist group Femen startled the swine.
Cow
Yvonne the cow, from Bavaria, became a media sensation when in 2011 she escaped her farm for more than three months. She then became an animal oracle for Euro 2012.
