Burlington residents use knitting skills to help devastated wildlife in Australian fires

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January 13, 2020 at 7:22 pm

While it’s difficult to come up with an exact number, most recent estimates have the wildlife death toll up to 1 billion and counting due to the fires in Australia that have claimed 20 million

While it’s difficult to come up with an exact number, most recent estimates have the wildlife death toll up to 1 billion and counting due to the fires in Australia that have claimed 20 million acres.

In response, the Animal Rescue Craft Guild put out a call for volunteers to make bat wraps, joey pouches, birds nests, possum boxes, koala mittens and other snuggly homes for marsupials.

Two individuals who answered that call are Burlington’s own Belinda Kligman-Tisnower and Nancy Davidson.

“Nancy and I are both animal lovers and decided we needed to help provide the needed items to help the caregivers in Australia properly look after the injured, abandoned, and orphaned animals,” said Belinda in an email to InHalton. “The caregivers [in Australia] are mostly people like us who are looking after animals in their own homes.”

Nancy and Belinda are longtime neighbours have been knitting for over 20 years. They say they’ve been working their sewing needles for about a week.

“As far as the number of items, Nancy has sewn 15 bat wraps, over 30 liners, around 25 joey pouches, 5 joey hanging bags,” added Belinda. “We are also hoping to have 12 to 15 crocheted nests for birds.”

Belinda said they are collecting items from other Burlington residents, as well.

Individuals who want to contribute can contact the Haldimand/Norfolk Craft Group For Australia Fires on Facebook.

“People can donate to the shipping costs for the items,” said Belinda. “If they knit, crochet, or sew they can find the specific patterns in the Facebook group and make the items, themselves.”