As temperatures in northern Uttar Pradesh plunge to freezing levels, rescued elephants at the Wildlife SOS's Elephant Conservation and Care Center are being dressed in their much-needed winter wardrobe - giant hand-knit sweaters! The warm new clothes form a special initiative of the conservation group to ensure the elephants do not catch the flu during these winters.
All the elephants at the center have been rescued from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The gentle giants who have suffered years of mistreatment now enjoy freedom in roaming, bathing, and playing in water pools, taken care of by the dedicated staff at Wildlife SOS. But this winter, they got an extra special treat: bright, colorful sweaters hand-knitted by local villagers in Mathura.
As winter temperatures dipped to as low as 5-6°C, the center realized that the elephants needed protection from the cold. They issued a call for help to the women in nearby villages, and the response was overwhelming. Local women eagerly gathered to knit and crochet large sweaters for the elephants. It takes a lot of wool – around 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) per jumper – and about 6-7 women working for 2-3 weeks to complete each sweater.
The sweaters are not only for show; they keep the elephants warm, especially since they have symptoms of arthritis due to their previous mistreatment. It also protects them from infections since they are prone to infections because of their weakened immune systems.
As Kamini Chander, a consultant with Wildlife SOS, explains, “When humans are feeling so cold in this winter – these are poor animals, they must be feeling very cold so we are making sweaters for them.”
While some of the elephants quickly took to their new sweaters, others weren't so enthusiastic. For instance, Maya was really ticklish. So she just didn't like putting on that new sweater at first.
Photo - Bored Panda
Photo - Oxzogama.It
According to Kamini,“Maya gets very ticklish wearing a sweater, so when we tried putting the sweater on her, she absolutely refused to wear it, she actually tried to throw it off. So then, if she doesn’t like it, obviously we would not force it on her. She loves it so she wears it.”
Initially, some of the sweaters even had sleeves, but these were even more difficult to get the elephants to wear. So far, only three elephants have received their full sweaters, while the others have been given blankets to keep them warm.
It took four weeks to make each jumper, and thus far, only a few elephants are fully geared up. The Wildlife SOS team aims to rescue more elephants in the future, and it hopes to enroll more volunteers to knit these giant jumpers so that all the elephants at the sanctuary have a sweater by next winter.
The battle for elephant welfare
This is one such knitting project, but it also gives way to the ongoing battles of the elephant in India. Hundreds of thousands of elephants in India remain captive and are mistreated in activities such as tourist attractions or religious rituals. Wildlife SOS works on rescuing such elephants from the clutches of cruel individuals and giving them a better life. It also provides training to elephant handlers on the humane handling of elephants, thus treating the massive animal with the respect it deserves.
As co-founder of Wildlife SOS, Kartick Satyanarayan says, “The traditional method that’s been used in India for a long time to manage elephants, unfortunately, uses a lot of pain, negative reinforcement and fear and intimidation to make elephants follow discipline... Elephants are extremely intelligent animals, they are emotional, they are social animals, and they live in herds, so when you pluck an elephant out of a herd, it is like kidnapping a child and then you beat the hell out of the elephant, you inflict a lot of cruelty and pain and fear and intimidation to discipline it.”
Wildlife SOS plans to expand its operations and rescue more elephants in the coming years. However, this comes at a cost, as the upkeep of just one elephant at the shelter is around 60,000 rupees ($850). The center is looking for donations and volunteers to help continue its mission and provide more elephants with a better life.
India is home to 50-60% of Asia's wild elephant population, and it’s clear that efforts like those of Wildlife SOS are essential for the survival and well-being of these magnificent creatures.
If you’re interested in helping or volunteering with Wildlife SOS, there are many ways to get involved – from donating funds to volunteering on-site and even helping with the care of the elephants.
And in the end, these giant sweaters are more than a dress sense statement. They represent care, compassion, and the community coming together to give these elephants a second chance at life - one cozy jumper at a time.
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