(ECNS) -- A Chinese student studying in the UK said her tutor, who quit her job to knit sweaters for penguins in Antarctica, has stirred up heated online debate. The charitable act, which sounds humorous, is in fact a real initiative.
“Thank you for your email. I have left to pursue my dream of crocheting sweaters for penguins in Antarctica and no longer work for the School of Economics. I will be out of office on a permanent, indefinite, open-ended basis until my penguin friends are happy,” the tutor replied in an e-mail.
A major oil spill occurred in the waters off the Phillip Island in Australia in the late 1990s, severely affecting local penguins who saw their population shrink over two breeding seasons due to ingesting oil in an attempt to clean their feathers, exposure to extreme temperatures, and inability to hunt.
In response, the Penguin Foundation and Phillip Island Nature Parks launched a public welfare campaign, calling on enthusiasts worldwide to knit sweaters for the freezing penguins during the process of rehabilitation.
In 2001, another major oil spill occurred in the waters near Phillip Island, with a total of 438 penguins affected. Ninety-six percent were successfully rescued and released back into the wild with the help of the Penguin Foundation and these sweaters.
More than 200,000 sweaters have been knit for penguins over the past 20 odd years since the launch of the project.
However, some people argue that the sweaters could potentially add extra weight to the penguins' bodies, or cause them to overheat.
The Penguin Foundation explained that the sweaters are used temporarily to keep penguins warm before their bodies are washed and feathers recover.
Sweaters for penguins must be crafted from wool and follow specific knitting guidelines. Numerous sweaters that have failed to meet the standards have been repurposed for toy penguins. By selling toy penguins wearing these sweaters, the Penguin Foundation raises fund for the wildlife on Phillip Island.
京公網安備 11010202009201號