Predicting the World Cup
The World Cup in Brazil is well underway, and probably everyone and his brother has an opinion on who will win the tournament.
But pundits are now turning to some unlikely sources to predict who will come out on top. Different animals around the world are weighing in with their opinion on which teams will win – and which will get eliminated.
Let’s take a look at three making most of the (animal) noise!
Regina the Octopus
This German psychic mollusc is making ripples (quite literally) around the world. It has already predicted a number of games from the confines of its aquarium at Berlin’s Sea Life zoo.
It is placed in a container holding two holes covered by a national flag. Although there is food in both of the holes, it is up to the octopus to choose one. She uses her paranormal talent to select the winner of this game she probably does not even understand. Although octopus football would be a fun game indeed!
Nelly the Elephant
Another German animal which the bookmakers are watching is Nelly, a young elephant originally from the Serengeti region. Nelly’s record is nothing to be laughed at. She correctly predicted 30 of the 33 games in the FIFA World Cup in 2006, the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2010 and the Euro 2012.
Now experts are listening to what she has to say. The mammal gives its predictions by kicking a ball in one of two goal posts marked with the teams’ names.
Former Germany national goalkeeper, Sepp Maier, is already listening. “I share Nelly’s predictions, that we will draw against Portugal and win against the USA and Ghana. So we’ll stay in the tournament,” he said.
Shaheen the Camel
On the other side of the globe, Shaneen might look like a run-of-the-mill camel playing in her pen in the Al Aweer desert near the city of Dubai.
The magic happens when the mystic desert animal lies down between two boards marked with the flags of the competing teams. The humped seer then chews off the corner of one of the boards, showing which country’s team will win the next match.