Villagers Are Knitting Giant Sweaters For Elephants To Protect Them From Near-Freezing Temperatures

Mar 26, 2019 by apost team

Climate change causes so many problems. Many animals become endangered or even go extinct because of the changes to their natural habitats. A lot of people believe there's nothing they can do to help animals, but they're wrong. Even small acts can make a big difference.

Some villagers in India found a novel way to help the elephants in their area. Asian elephants are especially vulnerable to climate change. They have slow rates of reproduction and not much variation in their genetic makeup. An unusually cold winter is dangerous to these mammals.

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When the villagers heard that temperatures were dropping, they immediately took action. They knitted giant, colorful sweaters for the elephants at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre. That's right – sweaters! It might sound funny, but the sweaters provided enough insulation to keep the elephants warm.

The Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre is responsible for 20 rescued elephants. These are mammals whose previous handlers beat or neglected them. They come from people selling them illegally, circuses, and other forms of exploitation. Kartick Satyanarayan, who founded the rescue, says that keeping them warm is of the utmost importance.

Having suffered abuse and neglect in the past, these elephants are even more vulnerable to extreme temperatures. Cold weather causes the elephants with arthritis – something common to circus elephants – to suffer. It also makes them more susceptible to pneumonia, which can kill them. But thanks to some quick-thinking villagers, the elephants remained warm through the cold.

What do you think about this story? Don't you think the elephants look adorable in their jumpers? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this article along to others – it will put a smile on their face!