Topeka Zoo’s Orangutans select their Super Bowl 57 winner

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Topeka Zoo’s orangutans had the honor of selecting who they predict to be the winner of Super Bowl 57 — either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Kansas City Chiefs.

Two boxes, decorated in the Chiefs’ and Eagles’ colors and decor, were placed inside the orangutans’ habitat. Then zookeepers brought Rudy, along with her baby Udara, back into the habitat to have them choose one box to indicate their super bowl prediction. Rudy picked the Kansas City Chiefs to win Super Bowl 57.

“We put out Kansas City Chiefs stuff and Philadelphia Eagles stuff and we let the orangutans choose which one they think is going to win and Rudy — our mom orangutan — chose the Chiefs so... Go Chiefs,” said Shanna Simpson, the Topeka Zoo’s animal curator.

Shanna Simpson, the zoo’s animal curator, also shared with 13 NEWS what was in the boxes offered to the orangutans.

“In the boxes was hay, some wood wool, we put lettuce... And all sorts of fun stuff in there just so they are more apt to interact with it if you will,” said Simpson. “We put streamers, we decorated it with chalk, we did romaine all sorts of fun stuff to have a fun day for the orangutans.”

In other zoo-related news, Rudy’s big brother, Bumi, will be celebrating his 10th birthday this month, and Rudy’s little one, Udara, will be one year old on May 7, 2023.

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