Rescue Elephants Keep Cozy in Winter with Hand-Knit Sweaters

As winter sets in and the chill in the air increases, it’s not just people who need to wear suitable clothing for warmth. Endangered Asian elephants at a Wildlife SOS conservation facility in northern India have been spotted donning exquisite, handcrafted “sweaters” to shield themselves from the cold weather.

The 20 elephants cared for by the organization suffer from conditions such as blindness, lameness, or are recuperating from other health issues. They were rescued from harmful environments including trafficking, circuses, street begging, and various unlawful activities. Consequently, they are more delicate and prone to illnesses such as pneumonia and arthritis flare-ups.

During an exceptionally frigid winter in late 2016 and early 2017, when temperatures in the area neared freezing, local women stepped forward to knit sizable blankets to keep the elephants snug. The project started with the idea of creating blankets for elephants; however, co-founders of the organization, Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Sheshamani, believed it would be more effective if each elephant received a tailored sweater.

Nurturing elephants is a significant endeavor…quite literally. Meeting their needs requires additional resources, time, and energy. Consequently, it took volunteers four weeks to finalize just one of the sweaters. While it may have seemed like crochet, the volunteers actually utilized knitting needles to create the sweaters. This approach resulted in a longer creation time but ultimately conserved materials, rendered softer results, and improved the draping of the sweaters.

Beyond the success of the sweaters, the elephants also received custom-made “jumbo jackets” for added protection from severe weather and wind chill. The elephants now thrive under the guidance of skilled rescuers.

Endangered Asian elephants at a conservation facility in India are kept warm with oversized “sweaters.”

During an especially severe winter, local women stepped up to knit sweaters for the rescued elephants.

Creating just one of the sweaters took around 4 weeks, but it was a worthwhile effort to safeguard the elephants.

These gentle giants have also been provided with “jumbo jackets” to withstand the cold.

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Source: Knitting jumbo jumpers

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