A pair of pandas at the Moscow Zoo have made their predictions for the best-performing countries at this month's Winter Olympics in Beijing, the zoo said Thursday.
“The panda is a symbol of China and one of the symbols of the upcoming Olympics. Who better than them to feel the outcome of the competition?” the zoo said.
Ruyi and Dingding were each offered five identical traffic cones emblazoned with national flags.
“There were no treats in the cones and they were also equidistant from the exits to the outdoor enclosures,” the zoo said.
Ruyi sniffed around his choices before “tearing down” the German flag and chewing on the cone. He then frolicked around the enclosure before returning to the cone with the flag of the United States.
Dingding hesitated before ultimately “embracing” the Russian cone and then “knocking to the ground” the Chinese cone.
“Thus, the leaders of the Olympic Games’ team competition, according to the pandas, are: Russia, China, Germany and the U.S.,” the Moscow Zoo said.
The zoo said it plans to continue seeking Ruyi and Dingding’s expert commentary on individual and team competitions over the course of the Feb. 4-20 games.
