Anthro armadillo 'Fuleco' picked as 2014 World Cup mascot
Brazilians cast almost 1.7 million votes in choosing Fuleco, an anthropomorphic three-banded armadillo, as the mascot for the 2014 FIFA World Cup games (soccer). A fursuited mascot is featured in the BBC's TV coverage.
As one of the most high-profile ambassadors of the event and a member of a vulnerable species, the Official Mascot can play a key role in driving environmental awareness. The name Fuleco™ is a fusion of the words “futebol” and “ecologia”. This seamlessly represents the way in which the FIFA World Cup™ can combine the two to encourage people to behave in an environmentally friendly way. In voting for the name Fuleco™, the Brazilian population has clearly demonstrated an affinity for both themes that the name epitomises. (press release)
But while Brazilians approve of the armadillo as a mascot, the way the name was chosen – a three-way online poll – is less popular. Over 23,000 signed a petition requesting a "more democratic" process, with some asking for a name featuring the vulnerable species itself.
48% chose Fuleco as the name. The other choices, whittled down from a list of 450, were Zuzeco (31%) and Amijubi (21%), representing the themes azul (blue) and ecologia (ecology), and amizade (friendship) and jubilo (joy).
About the author
Fred Patten — read stories — contact (login required)a retired former librarian from North Hollywood, California, interested in general anthropomorphics
Comments
Oooooh, he's a cutie! ^^
You know, with hair like at a football/soccer game he's just asking to get kicked in the head.
That is the idea . . . when they curl up, they are also shaped like a ball.
The legacy of this choice will be the deaths of thousands of armadillos by kicking.
There is also a live three-banded armadillo in the BBC World News video. When first seen, it is very difficult to tell that it is a rolled-up armadillo and not a soccer ball. When unrolled, it is quite hairy, but not on its head.
Fred Patten
Boa parte dos brasileiros rejeitaram esse nome pois "FULECO" é considerado meio perjorativo no Brasil. Por isso tem campanhas no facebook pedido para Chama-lo de "Tatu-Bola" (que é o Nome em português do armadillo)
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Much of Brazilians rejected that name because "FULECO" is considered medium perjorativo in Brazil. So has campaigns on facebook request for Call him "Tatu-Bola" (which is the name of the armadillo in Portuguese)
Translated by Google translator
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