Share
OK… these photos are seriously too cute, but adorable little penguins in tiny sweaters is only half the reason I’m sharing this with you. How cool is this: a wildlife group in Australia is calling on knitters to volunteer to make sweaters for penguins caught in oil spills. The Penguin Foundation says that the sweaters aren’t just to be adorable, they actually help keep the penguins warm and stop the animals from cleaning themselves of the toxic oil with their beaks. Scroll down for the precious photos and more information on this great cause!
Oil spills can be deadly for these tiny creatures. The oil makes their feathers become matted, which means it’s harder for them to stay warm and look for food.
Since there are SO many penguins affected by oil spills, it takes time to clean each one. The sweaters help keep them warm and safe in the meantime.
Volunteers are seriously dedicated to the cause. Merle Davenport (above) is 95 years old and has knit over 1,000 sweaters for the penguins!
People anywhere in the world can download patterns on the foundation’s site and start knitting! For those who can’t knit, you’re also able to ‘adopt’ a penguin to help fund the rescue and rehabilitation operations!
After the penguins are cleaned up and nursed back to health, they are released back into the wild… without their sweaters.
The Penguin Foundation says the sweaters play a huge role in the animals recover and that 96% of the birds that are rescued by them survive!
Thanks for reading our blog! If you enjoyed this story, please click on Facebook or Pinterest below to SHARE it with all of your friends!
