Heidi the Opossum to predict Oscar winners

Heidi the cross-eyed Virginia Opossum, resident of Leipzig Zoo in Germany, is to predict the winners of the 83rd Academy Awards.

After being found as an orphan, Heidi was raised in a North Carolina wildlife sanctuary, before being rehomed at Denmark's Odense Zoo and, later, Leipzig Zoo. She became an international sensation last December, after photographs of her cock-eyed visage were published in the German newspaper Bild. The images went viral, and led to a hit song ("Opossum Heidi Schielt" or "Opossum Heidi Peers"), Heidi's own Facebook account, and an upcoming line of plush toys.

Experts have speculated that Heidi's crossed eyes may be caused by fatty deposits behind her eyes, possibly the result of a poor diet during her younger years.

Recent reports indicate that Heidi will soon be filmed for a segment on the American Broadcasting Company's show Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The segment will air on the night of February 27 (Oscar night), and in it Heidi will attempt to predict the winners. The way in which Heidi will make her predictions is not yet known, and it remains to be seen if she has the same predictive abilities as Paul the Octopus, the cephalopod who correctly predicted the results of all of Germany's games in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as well as Spain's victory over the Netherlands in the final.