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For more than fifty years, we’ve had plenty of passion and love for the pandas. Now what? Sure, Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji are a tough act to follow, but one of the critters at the National Zoo must step into the spotlight after the pandas head to China later this year, by mid-November.
We’ll deeply miss D.C.’s unofficial mascots. The weather is getting colder, and we all need something fuzzy to hold onto… So, we’re back to the question that will hopefully warm your hearts: Who will be D.C.’s Next Animal Obsession?
What is DC's next zoo animal obsession? Final results
This zoo bracket has been a wild ride, whittling down sixteen National Zoo residents, all worthy of our affection, to the top two: Basil the Virginia opossum and Acadia the rescued bald eagle.
The final week of voting was the most epic yet with a last-minute campaign push by Acadia and an endorsement from a sitting senator.
That’s right! Sen. Mark “Mad Chef” Warner took a break from handing out candy and eyeballs to endorse Virginia’s marsupial homeboy.
“We will forget the pandas in three months if Basil is the new animal,” Warner said.
With the pandas leaving in a few weeks, we’re excited to unveil D.C.’s next unofficial mascot.
Basil the one-eyed Virginia opossum!
Talk about a true Cinderella story: Basil went from being attacked by another wild critter in our own backyard to a wildlife rescue group nursing him back to health. Then, he moved on up to the most desirable address on Connecticut Avenue, the National Zoo’s Small Mammal House, winning over hearts across the D.C. area.
Here's where things stand at at the conclusion of our tournament:
Thank you to everyone who voted. Nearly 155,000 votes were cast!
How to participate
Join Tommy McFLY on News4 at 4, 5 and 6 p.m. on Wednesdays for post-game analysis.
Want to champion your favorite? Make a video or post on social media and tag your friends plus NBC Washington.
Here's a bracket you can print, or save and fill out using your photo app's edit function. Share it on social media, and don't forget to tag @nbcwashington!
Round 4 Final - Opossum (8) vs. Bald Eagle (2)
Voting has concluded!
Images courtesy of Smithsonian's National Zoo
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