Mathura, January 21 (NIA): Adorable elephants dressed in jumbo sized multi-colored sweaters and bright red pyjamas are now drawing crowds in the North Indian city of Mathura.
Moved by the plight of elephants shivering in the North Indian cold, villagers of the Mathura area have knitted giant sweaters in flashy colors to make the pachyderms both warm and attractive. Giant pyjamas have been stitched to keep the legs warm as arthritis is a common condition among elephants kept in captivity.
A report in The Independent with pictures of the Mathura elephants wearing their new jumbo jumpers has been shared thirty thousand times.
It all began last year when the women living in villages near the Wildlife Elephant Conservation and Care Center in Mathura joined forces to knit and crochet jumbo sweaters and pajamas for elephants, a report published in The Huffington Post said.
When the cold wave struck again this winter, the women came forward to protect the elephants from the chilly air. The warmers take months to complete, the report says quoting Mail Online.
Workers at Wildlife SOS appealed for help when temperatures dipped to a point where it is cold even for thick skinned elephants.
According to the Times of India, the Wildlife SOS centre in Mathura is home to around 20 rescued elephants that are either blind or lame or just recuperating after suffering years of abuse. The report mentions that the elephants were rescued from illegal captivity, trafficking mafia, circuses and even street begging operations.
The pachyderms have endured decades of abuse, cruelty and harsh conditions that have taken a toll on them physically and psychologically.
The Hindu quoted Kartick Satyanarayan CEO of Wildlife SOS as saying: “It is important to keep our elephants protected from the bitter cold during this extreme winter, as they are weak and vulnerable having suffered so much abuse, making them susceptible to ailments such as pneumonia.
“The cold also aggravates their arthritis which is a common issue that our rescued elephants have to deal with” The HuffPost adds.
