Pana‘ewa Rainforest Zoo residents give slight edge to Seattle in Super Bowl LX

Sriracha and Tzatziki are the big cats on campus at Pana‘ewa Rainforest Zoo in Hilo. You’d think whichever way the zoo’s star attractions weigh in on the most important matters of the day — such as which team will win Super Bowl LX — the rest of their zoo mates would follow.

The only thing: Their team isn’t playing this year.

“Nah,” said Pana‘ewa Rainforest Zoo Administrator Mindy Runnels. “They are Cincinnati [Bengals] fans!”

So when it came to other zoo residents prognosticating about this year’s Super Bowl matchup — a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX — between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, the disinterest of the two tigers allowed predictions to emerge with no feline force.

“It will be interesting to see who they pick,” Runnels said.

Creature conjecture at the zoo ultimately ended up somewhat mixed but with one team coming away with more votes.

Seattle got a slight edge from its reptile and fish fans at the Hilo zoo. Bird fans, which you’d think also would support their fellow feathered friends from Seattle, instead either didn’t care or put their money on the Patriots.

The animals were shown pictures of each of the team’s mascots. They let their voices be heard by moving toward or touching the picture of their choice, signaling which team they predicted will win today’s Big Game.

Aldabra tortoise Darwin clearly chose the Seahawks. Catalina macaw Max proudly picked New England.

“Our black swan Swannie is only interested in the halftime show,” wrote Friends of the Pana‘ewa Zoo in a 7 p.m. Feb. 6 Facebook post — as the only other bird voter asked — is seen in a video taking no interest in either team.

She acknowledged her two choices, but swam right past both.

Swannie’s koi fish friends, on the other hand, were unanimous — all of them swimming toward the Seahawks.

Other animals also made their own winner predictions last week elsewhere in the state.

Elephants Mari and Vaigai at Honolulu Zoo were given a choice between watermelons — one displaying Seattle and the other with the Patriots — and the fruit ultimately picked by the duo of largest land animals on Earth to eat first was their pick for champion.

Seattle got their vote.

Mari and Vaigai’s powers of prediction are pretty spot on, too. They chose the winners of the past 3 Super Bowls in a row and picked 4 gridiron Big Game victors during the past 6 years.

Puppies got in on the playful predictions during the third annual KHON2 Super Puppy Classic at Hawaiian Humane Society on O‘ahu.

Once again, Seattle came out victorious.

Tallying together all the furry and feathered foretelling — while not unanimous — it seems the animal kingdom is pulling for the Seahawks.

Seattle was leading the Patriots 9-0 at halftime.

Runnels said — unlike residents of the Hilo zoo — that she wasn’t sure if any of the staff are partial as to who they think will win or want to take the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

She also isn’t so much invested in Super Bowl LX. Runnels is more of a college football fan, especially of the Ohio State University Buckeyes — first and foremost.

So when it comes to the National Football League and its Big Game finale, Runnels normally roots for the team with the best former Buckeyes on its roster.

Her pick this year is tough.

She mentioned at least two former Buckeyes who are part of today’s game. Runnels enjoyed watching them both during their days playing for Ohio State.

What makes her Super Bowl decision difficult is that both of those Ohio State alums are now on opposite sides of the line of scrimmage.

Former Buckeye 23-year-old Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a wide receiver for Seattle. New England coach Mike Vrabel also is a past Buckeye.

“Jaxon Smith-Njigba was an awesome player to watch in college,” Runnels said. “But I grew up watching Vrabel play for the Buckeyes.”

Still, like her zoo tenants, she might end up leaning toward Seattle for one reason — where former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady attended college.

Brady went to school at University of Michigan.

“Historically, I am not a Patriots fan, as Brady went to the ‘school up north,'” Runnels said.

There’s just a little more than two quarters remaining in Super Bowl LX, so it won’t be too much longer until we all know whether the animals were right — and nearly 20 more minutes for Runnels to root against New England.