Knitting for Wildlife

The snow has finally stopped, allowing spring to ensue and although the Farmer's Almanac says this summer is going to be "oppressively humid," I am looking forward to that narrow window where the door can remain open and the cats will come and go as they please. For the moment, though, it is still jacket weather and the heater kicks on when the sun goes down.

Image via The Penguin Foundation

We do not often consider the idea of our fellow animals needing some extra protection from the elements at times. Those that are wild are quite capable of finding natural shelters, while semi-wild and domesticated animals often find comfort in our homes or provided shelters.

The story of The Penguin Foundation using knitted jumpers to help protect penguins after an oil spill has made its rounds on the Internet recently and is an example of a novel way to address wildlife needs. The Foundation uses the jumpers to prevent penguins from preening oil-covered feathers before they are cleaned. This reduces the chance that the penguin will swallow oil that will hurt or kill it, while simultaneously providing some warmth against the damage done to the penguin's natural heat retention abilities it derives from water-resistant feathers. This happens because "[o]il separates and mats feathers, allowing water to get in which makes a penguin very cold, heavy and less able to successfully hunt for food."

While The Penguin Foundation has expressed that they are not in urgent need of knitted jumpers at the moment, you can still find knit and crochet patterns for the jumpers at the bottom of their webpage and mail them in. Extra jumpers are sent to other wildlife centers when an oil spill disaster occurs as well as being used for educational purposes and sold for funds to continue research and conservation. If you are interested in making one of the sweaters for the foundation, remember to use either wool or acrylic material.

Another cause that is in need of knitters' skills is WildCare. They are requesting 200 wool knitted nests and pouches, each in small, medium, and large sizes. Patterns for both nests and pouches can be found on their website and downloaded along with the donation form. 

Image via WildCare

WildCare uses the nests and pouches to help rehabilitate orphaned birds that are brought into wildlife hospitals. The site explains that knitted nests provide "the right stability along with the appropriate softness to maximize the comfort and health of our baby bird patients. And we can never have too many! Knitted and crafted nests are like towels in a nursery— they're constantly in use and constantly in and out of the laundry." At the time of writing, the wildlife rehabilitation hospital has only 8 or the needed 1,200.

These two examples pose a great opportunity for stash-busting projects, teaching others to knit or crochet, or just simply as a volunteer-from-home project. This could also make a great focus for a project by local knitting groups or for a skill-building class at a library or community center.

Bonus: Remember that, while volunteer hours are not tax deductible, charitable knitting may get you a tiny deduction for the cost of materials and, perhaps, the postage as well if you are donating to a recognized {read 501(c)(3)} charity. Check with your tax preparer/expert to know if you qualify. In this instance, The Penguin Foundation states they hold "a Deductible Gift Recipient status and all contributions are fully tax deductible" and WildCare states that after they receive the donation, you will receive "[a]n in-kind donation receipt you can use for tax purposes."