Predictions can be a tricky business, but the Oregon Zoo is betting its orangutans are up for the challenge.

Zoo photo

Inji picks the Patriots.

As they have for the past several years, Inji, matriarch of the zoo's orangutans, and her grandson Kutai, made their predictions for the Super Bowl winner on Friday in the primate building's orangutan exhibit.

Each year, keepers provide the orangutans with official T-shirts from the two competing Super Bowl teams. The team indicated by the first shirt Inji chooses to put on represents her pick for the winner. In the past, Inji has correctly predicted the winners of four Super Bowls and two Civil War games, and her overall record is 6-4. Her record began slipping with the arrival of her grandson Kutai.

This year -- a split pick, according to zoo spokeswoman Linda D'Ae-Smith.

Inji picked the Pats, as she's done everytime they've played the bowl, and Kutai chose the Giants.

More: Inji's prediction last year

According to Senior Primate Keeper Dave Thomas, Kutai has been inserting himself into the prediction process for the past three years and obviously wants to be part of the event. "It's becoming clear that while Inji seems to be losing her edge, Kutai is showing himself to be more perceptive, so to speak."

Kutai boasts a perfect record of three for three.

Thomas won't speculate as to whether Inji is stepping aside to allow her grandson to shine, or if he's taking over by force.

"He did take all the shirts from one team one year, so her choice was limited," concedes Thomas.

Inji's ability to choose the winner of football games was discovered several years ago by chance. A local sportscaster had seen the orangutans receive clothing as enrichment items and wondered what they would do with T-shirts from the University of Oregon Ducks and Oregon State University Beavers prior to the Civil War football game.

Inji, the more dominant of the group at that time, chose to wear the T-shirt of the school that eventually won the game. She was given the same challenge the following year, and again picked the winner.

Due to exhibit construction and new animal introductions, Inji took some time off from her predictions. When conditions were again favorable, that year's Civil War game had passed, but the Super Bowl was only a few weeks away, so she began predicting Super Bowl outcomes.

Zookeepers are always looking for new and interesting ways to keep the animals engaged and active. Giving the orangutans T-shirts and other interesting items serves as environmental enrichment. The Oregon Zoo is internationally renowned for its environmental enrichment program, designed to keep animals mentally and physically challenged and stimulated.