By April Phule
Local knitters are getting out their needles to help local turkeys suffering from cold this winter.
The eastern wild turkey, which populates this area, has had a tough time surviving the year’s enduring cold snap.
Although their feathers and body structure are designed to provide warmth, the turkeys have been found to be suffering in the extreme temperatures.
One Dunedin resident caught a flock of hens shivering together in her back shed.
“Their teeth were chattering and they appeared to have goose bumps on their skin,” she said. “At first, I thought I might put them in a nice, warm pot of water to warm them up… but then I decided to knit them sweaters instead!”
Now, residents gather in coffee shops, bookstores and at each other’s homes to knit the sweaters for the turkeys. They have designed their own patterns for the birds, which usually weigh about 10 to 19 lbs.
They got the idea from an Australian organization that issued a global call for warm pullovers to help penguins affected by oil spills. Wearing the sweaters prevents the penguins from preening and ingesting toxic substances.
While the turkeys in Clearview don’t have to worry about oil in their feathers, they do have chillier temperatures to contend with than their friends in the southern hemisphere.
In recent years, the turkey population in the Creemore area has grown as a result of provincial initiatives to restore eastern wild turkeys.
To find out how to get involved or to see the latest designs in sweaters for turkeys, visit www.turkeysloveaprilfools.ca.