Indian villagers knit giant sweaters to keep elephants warm during cold snap

published 9 February 2017

An elephant sanctuary in northern India is using jumbo-size sweaters to keep its pachyderms warm during a cold snap. When the temperature plummeted, villagers near the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center started knitting brightly colored winter garments for the preserve's 20 elephants, which were rescued from circuses and logging camps. The new sweaters aren't just fashionable, they're also good for the animals' health. "It's important to keep our elephants protected from the bitter cold," said Wildlife SOS co-founder Kartick Satyanarayan, "as they are weak and vulnerable, having suffered so much abuse, making them susceptible to ailments such as pneumonia."