Rocky the raccoon predicts an England win - 11/06/12
A ‘psychic’ raccoon at Bristol Zoo Gardens has predicted a win from England in tonight’s Euro 2012 crunch match with France.
Rocky the raccoon made his choice live on ITV’s Daybreak this morning after being offered two pots with equal amounts of food, one marked with the England shirt and the other with the France shirt, and he had no hesitation in heading straight for the England marker.
His keeper, Mat Richards, said: “This is the first time Rocky has demonstrated psychic abilities and he’s chosen the underdogs to win, so we are all keeping our fingers crossed that he is right and we have a win from England tonight.”
Rocky’s prediction follows on from the success of Paul the Octopus, who correctly predicted the outcome of all seven of Germany's matches during the 2010 World Cup. Whether Rocky will have the same winning streak is yet to be seen.
Rocky is part of a team at Bristol Zoo who take part in Amazing Animals shows on the Zoo’s customer-built outdoor stage. Mat Richards is one of a number of specialist trainers and handlers who work with creatures as diverse as lemurs and armadillos to meerkats, kookaburras and macaw parrots.
Rocky and his ‘creature colleagues’ can be seen in Bristol Zoo’s fun and fact-filled Amazing Animals shows every day at 12noon and 2pm (weather permitting).
Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on the generous support of the public not only to fund its important work in the zoo, but also its vital conservation and research projects spanning five continents.
For more information about visiting Bristol Zoo Gardens, visit the website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk or phone 0117 974 7300.
ENDS
For press enquiries please contact Bristol Zoo:
Lucy King, T: 0117 974 7306 or E: lking@bristolzoo.org.uk
Hannah Worrall, T: 0117 974 7309, or E: hworrall@bristolzoo.org.uk
Notes to the Editor:
Bristol Zoo Gardens
- Bristol Zoo is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day.
- Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on income from visitors and supporters to continue its important work.
- Bristol Zoo is involved with more than 100 co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species.
- Itemploys over 150 full and part-time staff to care for the animals and run a successful visitor attraction to support its conservation and education work.
- Bristol Zoo supports – through finance and skill sharing - 15 projects in the UK and abroad that conserveand protectsome of the world’s most endangered species.
- In 2011 Bristol Zoo celebrated its 175th birthday. Over that past 175 years, the Zoo has brought six generations of Bristolians closer to wildlife, helped save over 175 species from extinction, established over 30 field conservation and research programmes all over the world, showed 40 million school-aged children the wonder of nature and given more than 90 million visitors a wonderful day out.
- In 2010 Bristol Zoo Gardens set up a Conservation Fund to raise vital funds to help care for threatened animals and plants – both in the Zoo and through the conservation work we do in the UK and around the world.
- Bristol Zoo Gardens is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. BIAZA represents more than 90 member collections and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums.
