Just because the Ravens aren’t playing in the Super Bowl doesn’t mean our residents don’t have opinions about who should win the showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Take Harry and Lloyd, the Maryland Zoo’s two miniature Mediterranean donkeys, who can’t stop braying about Sunday’s game. Every year, the two gentlemen assemble to make their predictions about which team would blast the other in the match-up.
They don’t flip a coin, or speak into a microphone, or consult a deck of tarot cards. Do they assiduously study the stats and watch replays of each team’s greatest assets? No. We learn of their calculus by the very donkey-appropriate activity of eating vegetables out of a football.
Lloyd immediately went for the San Francisco football, leaving the Kansas City football for Harry. But then, in an astonishing move, knocked Harry out of the way and began devouring the Kansas City football.
An embarrassed Harry dejectedly moved to the 49ers football, deciding that despite his asspirations of a Traylor-themed winner’s circle, perhaps the astute observer might be wise to consider the 49ers kicking ass.
We wanted to interview the donkeys after this impressive display of sports prediction, but they seemed to be a little horse.
According to the Maryland Zoo, who despite the Ravens end to the season still felt the two equus asinus were qualified to weigh in, this exercise is far from assinine.
“Each day, the Animal Team at the Maryland Zoo creates enrichment activities for the animals to keep them mentally and physically engaged,” read the press release describing the annual -er- assignment? “Enrichment allows animals to demonstrate their species-typical behavior, gives them opportunity to exercise control or choice over their environment and enhances their well-being. This kind of activity is just as essential to animal welfare as proper nutrition and veterinary care.”
You can view the video of Harry and Lloyd making their choices, such as they are, below.
