Princess the prophetic camel, known around the world for her ability to select winning football teams, particularly in the Super Bowl, died just a few weeks before the big game, this year in New Jersey on Sunday, Feb. 2.
“She was a very big part of everything that went on here, not just because of her size. It was her personality and everything,” said John Bergmann, general manager of Popcorn Park Zoo in Forked River, where Princess lived for 10 years. “She was a very big presence here, and we’re all saddened by her loss. The fact that it happened before the Super Bowl, I don’t know that makes a big difference to us. It’s coincidental; it really is,” he added.
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| Photo via Popcorn Park Princess the beloved camel is known for selecting winning football teams. |
Princess was humanely euthanized at 27 years old, after suffering from severe arthritis that made it impossible for her to stand due to a parasite that she had contracted, which her sister, Baby, died of in the early 1990s.
“Princess also had quite a bit of damage done to her joints, but she did survive it. So she’s been compromised for a pretty long time,” said Bergmann.
The local zoo took over the care of Princess in 2004, after the members of Duke Farms in Hillsborough Township, which protected endangered species for many years, including Princess since she was 6 months old, decided to turn the park into an environmental center.
“The veterinarian that Princess had all her life also worked for us, and he knew that this would be a great place for her to live out her life,” Bergmann said.
Princess began selecting winning teams during football season after The Hawk, a Toms River radio station, decided to include one of the animals from the zoo for their predictions.
“Princess was perfect because she loved graham crackers,” said Bergmann.
Whichever hand Princess ate the graham cracker out of would indicate which team she predicted to win for each game, he explained.
“She did it all football season long, and then ended up at the Super Bowl. She had really good seasons,” said Bergmann. “She was very, very good with the Super Bowl picks.”
Princess’ predictions came true for six out of the seven seasons. Last year, she successfully chose the Baltimore Ravens, who beat the San Francisco 49ers by three points during the 2013 Super Bowl. Princess did not get the chance to choose this year’s Super Bowl winner.
A memorial service for Princess will be held on Sunday, Feb. 2 (Super Bowl Sunday) at Layton’s Home for Funerals in Forked River. The service with a few tributes and a special video will start at 10:30 a.m.
“I think that’s very fitting because she made her celebrity status in newspapers and in sports magazines and radio shows all over the country every time Super Bowl season comes around. So that’s her time of the season, I think,” said Bergmann. “Wherever the teams are from, as soon as she makes her pick, I got radio stations and newspapers from those towns calling and wanting to know who she chose and why. That’s probably one of her busiest times,” he added.
In lieu of flowers, the zoo is asking people to send donations in memory of Princess to Popcorn Park at 1 Humane Way, Forked River, N.J. 08731. Funds should be addressed to Princess.
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