Orange the harbor seal at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk has made her pick for Super Bowl 50 and it is the Carolina Panthers.
The 33-year-old seal knows how to hold her nose against the hand of her Aquarium trainers, and also against a “target pole,” the exhibit window and other objects.
On Thurs., Feb. 4, the Aquarium seal exhibit was lined with images of the Carolina Panthers’ and Denver Broncos’ helmets. When instructed to go to the exhibit window, Orange swam to – and held her nose against – a Panthers’ helmet, indicating her pick.
If it’s any consolation for Denver fans, the Aquarium’s seals have proven to be pathetic pinniped pigskin prognosticators: they’re 0 for 4 in previous attempts to pick the Super Bowl winner.
“However, it must be noted that Polly picked Seattle last year, and she would have been right if not for the Seahawks’ boneheaded decision to throw a pass at the goal line as time was expiring,” noted Aquarium spokesman Dave Sigworth.
Orange is one of seven harbor seals at The Maritime Aquarium. Their public feedings are offered at 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 & 3:45 p.m. daily. Thursday’s Super Bowl selection was actually a fun variation on a daily animal-husbandry demonstration.
Last year, Samsung also had fun with the Aquarium’s seals’ supposed soothsaying, featuring Orange in an online ad for its new Galaxy S6 phone.
photo caption: Orange, a harbor seal at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, holds her nose against a Carolina Panthers helmet, indicating her pick for Super Bowl 50. If it’s any consolation to Denver fans, the Aquarium’s seals so far are 0 for 4 in predicting the winner of the NFL championship game.
