Prognosticating penguin, manatees pick Super Bowl winner

Looking for an edge, an inside scoop, in putting down that Super Bowl wager?

Well, friends, look no further than predictions made by endangered animals.

Pebbles, the prognosticating penguin at The Florida Aquarium put its prescient abilities on the line this morning, wobbling to the logo of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The bird did some impressive broken field running, weaving through the legs of some reporters and photographers before stopping and staring at a Steelers laminated logo long enough to declare Pittsburgh the penguin's pick.

The laminated logo was held by Pebble's handler, Jason Donnell, a biologist at the aquarium who, coincidentally, grew up a Steelers fan, though he swears he exerted no influence on his protégé. The endangered African black-footed penguin at first couldn't decide and steered clear of both the team emblems.

At 2 1/2 years old, Pebbles is no stranger to making predictions. Two years ago, he picked the Steelers in Pittsburgh's 27-23 last minute win over the Arizona Cardinals at Raymond James Stadium, his handler said.

"Other than that," Donnell said, "he's about 50-50."

At precisely the same time, at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Hugh and Buffet, a pair of manatees who share a tank, were up to the same guessing shenanigans. But their choices on Super Bowl winners didn't clear anything up.

The two sea cows split. Buffett picked the Packers and Hugh went for the Steelers.

Mote's manatee care staff dropped two markers in the shared tank, one for each team. Hugh waffled before settling on the Steelers while Buffett went straight for Green Bay.

Folks at Mote say Buffet is a manatee who is serious about his Super Bowl picks. He has a proven record, having predicted the Super Bowl winners for the last three years.

His annual Super Bowl selection has become so popular, Mote officials say, supporters wait to hear which team Buffett chooses before making their own predictions.

Getting animals to predict sporting outcomes has gained popularity in recent years, and the practice gained popularity with Paul the octopus, whose psychic abilities consistently picked winners of the World Cup soccer matches last year.