Animal charity needs you to knit jumpers for poorly penguins
6th March 2014
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Has any worthier cause come to your attention this week? We can’t think of one.
In fact, all we can think about right now is getting home and rocking out the knitting needles so that these penguins can get better after their nasty incident with an oil slick.
The Penguin Foundation, based in Australia, has made a global appeal for people to start knitting tiny jumpers for tiny penguins in need.
It says: “These jumpers play an important role in saving little penguins affected by an oil spill.
“Knitted jumpers are placed on oiled penguins to keep them warm and prevent them from preening and swallowing toxic oil. The jumpers are kept on the penguins until the penguins are strong enough to be cleaned.”
The Foundations adds that “a patch of oil the size of an adult thumbnail can kill a little penguin.
“Oiled penguins often die from exposure and starvation. Oil separates and mats feathers, allowing water to get in which makes a penguin very cold, heavy and less able to successfully hunt for food.”
If the penguins don’t have enough jumpers it’s likely that they’ll try to clean the poisonous oil off with their beaks and, according to The Penguin Foundation, 95% of animals affected by oils spills in Australia are penguins.
Lyn Blom, receptionist at the Phillip Island Nature Parks in Victoria, says that one advantage of knitting jumpers for penguins is that they are only small, so don’t take very long to make.
So, if you’re handy with a knitting needle, your time has come – the penguins need you. Download the info pack (including knitting patterns) here.
Image courtesy of The Penguin Foundation.
In fact, all we can think about right now is getting home and rocking out the knitting needles so that these penguins can get better after their nasty incident with an oil slick.
The Penguin Foundation, based in Australia, has made a global appeal for people to start knitting tiny jumpers for tiny penguins in need.
It says: “These jumpers play an important role in saving little penguins affected by an oil spill.
“Knitted jumpers are placed on oiled penguins to keep them warm and prevent them from preening and swallowing toxic oil. The jumpers are kept on the penguins until the penguins are strong enough to be cleaned.”
The Foundations adds that “a patch of oil the size of an adult thumbnail can kill a little penguin.
“Oiled penguins often die from exposure and starvation. Oil separates and mats feathers, allowing water to get in which makes a penguin very cold, heavy and less able to successfully hunt for food.”
If the penguins don’t have enough jumpers it’s likely that they’ll try to clean the poisonous oil off with their beaks and, according to The Penguin Foundation, 95% of animals affected by oils spills in Australia are penguins.
Lyn Blom, receptionist at the Phillip Island Nature Parks in Victoria, says that one advantage of knitting jumpers for penguins is that they are only small, so don’t take very long to make.
So, if you’re handy with a knitting needle, your time has come – the penguins need you. Download the info pack (including knitting patterns) here.
Image courtesy of The Penguin Foundation.
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