Knitters for Nature's Critters
With the Knitters for Nature’s Critters™ program, Nature Abounds™ is combining the humanities with environmental needs around the globe. We hope to expand this program beyond penguin jumpers to other animal needs, international as well as domestic. Stay tuned for future program updates!
Nature Abounds™ has chosen Little Penguins to be the recipient of our first animal that we’ll be helping through the Knitters for Nature’s Critters™ program. The goals of the Penguin Jumper opportunity are:
- To help the Little Blue Penguins themselves in their time of need and support those that help the penguins;
- To raise awareness of oil spills which happen all over the world regularly,
- To raise awareness of how wildlife species and their eco-systems are affected by oil spills.
Little Penguins are the smallest of all penguin species, averaging 13 inches in height and weighing in between about 2.2 pounds. They are also known as Fairy Penguins, Little Blue Penguins, and sometimes just Blue Penguins. It’s hard to imagine but just one small area of oil the size of an adult thumbnail can kill a Little Penguin, and oiled penguins often die from exposure and starvation. This is because the oil separates and mats feathers, allowing water to get in which makes a penguin very cold and heavy feeling, which results in less ability to hunt for food. Likewise, many oiled penguins die of hypothermia before they can make it to shore. Of course, some penguins die from swallowing the poisonous oil as they attempt to preen their feathers.
Climate change is also having a significant effect on the feeding habits as well as the Little Penguins survival. Food is harder to find due to high storm activity, and this is causing a decline in birth weights and chick survival.
Sign up today to become a Knitter for Nature’s Critters Volunteer, and we’ll send you instructions for getting started.
Not a knitter? You can still help us out by making a donation to help with program costs like materials and shipping expenses.