Zoo's Lucy picks Cougars to take the Apple Cup this year



SEATTLE -- For the 10th straight year, the Huskies are favored to beat the Cougars in the Apple Cup, but Lucy, a female raccoon at Woodland Park Zoo, doesn't know that.

The 1-year-old masked mammal picked up an apple Wednesday carried it across the stage and dropped it in a Cougar snack helmet to mark her own prediction for this year's winner.

The zoo decided to bench Sky, a young porcupine who made last year's Apple Cup pick. She apparently picked badly.

Lucy is a member of Woodland Park Zoo's new ambassador animals. A variety of animals trained or undergoing training by staff to showcase voluntary, natural behaviors. The new ambassador animals participate in engaging, up-close education programs at the zoo or off-site at schools and community events.

Other ambassador animals include a hornbill, a porcupine, an arctic fox, an opossum and a kookaburra.