Baby elephants in south east Asia have been forced to wear colourful hand knitted coats to keep warm, after a gush of cold air swept down from China and plunged temperatures to as low as 0c
Creatures in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia – countries known for their tropical climates - have been forced to don the woollen garments, which were created by volunteers from the Blankets for Baby Rhinos charity.
Save Elephant Foundation is handing out the multi-coloured coats on the ground in sanctuaries for the animals in both Thailand and neighbouring Burma.
“A cold front came down from China this week affecting many places throughout South East Asia. Many countries as Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia are experiencing temperatures that rarely occur here,” its director Lek Chailert said.
“On the mountain top of Thailand it is below zero. We are doing our best to keep all of our animals warm, with fires being kept through the night.”
She said that animals at the Wingabaw elephant camp in Burma had particularly suffered when the weather turned.
“We provide straw and bring cosy jackets to help keep them warm,” she added.
It has also shipped the coats to sister sanctuaries around the region, including to one in Baan Lao, Burma.
The coats were shipped to the charity by Sue Brown and Ruthie Cassidy from Blankets for Baby Rhinos, a wildlife conservation craft group. It was set-up to help animals rescued from captivity.
“Sue’s husband is a pilot who flew the parcel to us from the United Arab Emirates to Bangkok,” said Ms Chailert. “We are so appreciative of this beautiful kindness."
Ms Chailert set up Save Elephant Foundation after the animals were becoming endangered in Thailand.
The elephant coat campaign came after a similar one in India earlier this when local women knitted jumpers for formerly abused animals there.
Women in a village near the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in the northern city of Mathura made the garments when temperatures dipped close to freezing point.
The animals were rescued from illegal captivity after being poached by trafficking mafia.
