Crafting for a cause: Volunteers create koala mittens, joey pouches to help animals injured in Australian brushfires
ByNatalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Koala In this image made from video taken on Dec. 22, 2019, and provided by Oakbank Balhannah CFS, a koala drinks water from a bottle given by a firefighter in Cudlee Creek, South Australia. Volunteers are creating mittens for koalas and pouches for joeys injured in the brushfires. (Oakbank Balhannah CFS/AP)
ByNatalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
From thousands of miles away, crafters are doing their part to help animals that have been burnt by the raging wildfires scorching the Australian bush.
The Animal Rescue Craft Guild put out requests for volunteers to make koala mittens, bat wraps, joey pouches, bird nets and possum boxes to help rehabilitate the animals that have been injured in the brushfires, Reuters reported.
So far 8 million hectares, or about the size of Austria, have burned on the island nation.
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Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, aerial photo, wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale, Australia. Thousands of tourists fled Australia's wildfire-ravaged eastern coast Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, ahead of worsening conditions as the military started to evacuate people trapped on the shore further south. (Glen Morey/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, image from video, smoke from wildfires covers Batehaven, near Batemans Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Thousands of tourists fled Australia's wildfire-ravaged eastern coast Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, ahead of worsening conditions as the military started to evacuate people trapped on the shore further south. (Josh Aldwell/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations This Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, photo provided by Twitter user @AvaTheHuman shows a sky red from wildfires burning, in Victoria, Australia. On Tuesday morning, 4,000 people in the coastal town of Mallacoota fled to the shore as winds pushed a fire toward their homes under a sky darkened by smoke and turned blood-red by flames. (Twitter @AvaTheHuman/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this image made from video, a fire is extinguished behind a house in Mollymook, New South Wales, Australia, on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states have trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed many properties and caused at least two fatalities. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Channel 9, Channel 7/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this image made from video, an aerial view shows wildfires in the forests of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, Dec. 31, 2019. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states have trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed many properties and caused at least two fatalities. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Channel 7, Channel 9/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this image made from video, officials block the Princes Highway as wildfires approach in South Coast, New South Wales, Australia, on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states have trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Channel 9, Channel 7/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this image dated Dec. 30, 2019, and provided by NSW Rural Fire Service via their Twitter account, firefighters are seen as they try to protect homes around Charmhaven, New South Wales. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states Tuesday trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (Twitter @NSWRFS/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this image made from video, an aerial scene shows fires burning in Bundoora, Victoria state, Monday, Dec. 30, 2019. New Year’s Eve fireworks in Australia’s capital and other cities have been canceled as the wildfire danger worsens in the oppressive summer heat, and pressure was building for Sydney’s iconic celebrations to be similarly scrapped. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Channel 7, Channel 9/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this image made from video, vehicles are parked during a road closure as smoke rises in the rear, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, in Brogo, New South Wales, Australia. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states have trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed many properties and caused at least two fatalities. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Channel 9, Channel 7/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this image made from video, an aerial scene shows fires burning in Bundoora, Victoria state, Monday, Dec. 30, 2019. New Year’s Eve fireworks in Australia’s capital and other cities have been canceled as the wildfire danger worsens in oppressive summer heat, and pressure was building for Sydney’s iconic celebrations to be similarly scrapped. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Channel 7, Channel 9/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this image made from video, an aerial scene shows fires burning and smoke rising close to properties in Bundoora, Victoria state, Monday, Dec. 30, 2019. New Year’s Eve fireworks in Australia’s capital and other cities have been canceled as the wildfire danger worsens in oppressive summer heat, and pressure was building for Sydney’s iconic celebrations to be similarly scrapped. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Channel 7, Channel 9/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this image made from video, an aerial scene shows destroyed homes and properties after a wildfire in East Grippsland, Victoria, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states Tuesday trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions and destroyed many properties. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Channel 7, Channel 9/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations Kangaroos graze in a field as smoke shrouds the Australian capital of Canberra, Australia, on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020. Australia deployed military ships and aircraft to help communities ravaged by apocalyptic wildfires that destroyed homes and sent thousands of residents and holidaymakers fleeing to the shoreline. (Mark Baker/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 photo provided by State Government of Victoria, a helicopter tackles a wildfire in East Gippsland, Victoria state, Australia. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions Tuesday, Dec. 31, and were feared to have destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (State Government of Victoria/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations This Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 photo provided by State Government of Victoria shows wildfires in East Gippsland, Victoria state, Australia. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions Tuesday, Dec. 31, and were feared to have destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (State Government of Victoria/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 photo provided by State Government of Victoria, a helicopter tackles a wildfire in East Gippsland, Victoria state, Australia. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions Tuesday, Dec. 31, and were feared to have destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (State Government of Victoria/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations This Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 photo provided by State Government of Victoria shows wildfires in East Gippsland, Victoria state, Australia. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions Tuesday, Dec. 31, and were feared to have destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (State Government of Victoria/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations Smoke and wildfire rage behind Lake Conjola, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. Thousands of tourists fled Australia's wildfire-ravaged eastern coast Thursday ahead of worsening conditions as the military started to evacuate people trapped on the shore further south. (Robert Oerlemans/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage behind Lake Conjola, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. Thousands of tourists fled Australia's wildfire-ravaged eastern coast Thursday ahead of worsening conditions as the military started to evacuate people trapped on the shore further south. (Robert Oerlemans/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations This satellite image released by the Copernicus Sentinel imagery, 2020 Twitter page dated Dec. 31, 2019, shows wildfires burning across Australia. (Copernicus Sentinel Imagery/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations A burnt-out residence is seen in Sarsfield, East Gippsland, Victoria, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions Tuesday and were feared to have destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (James Ross/AAP Images/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations A skycrane drops water on a bushfire in scrub behind houses in Bundoora, Melbourne, Monday, Dec. 30, 2019. New Year’s Eve fireworks in Australia’s capital and other cities have been canceled as the wildfire danger worsens in oppressive summer heat, and pressure was building for Sydney’s iconic celebrations to be similarly scrapped. (Ellen Smith/AAP Images/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations This Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, photo provided by State Government of Victoria shows wildfires in East Gippsland, Victoria state, Australia. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions Tuesday, Dec. 31, and were feared to have destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (State Government of Victoria/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations In this Dec. 30, 2019, photo, CFA firefighter is seen as a fire hit Clovemont Way in Bundoora outside Melbourne, Monday, Dec. 30, 2019. Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions Tuesday and were feared to have destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (Julian Smith/AAP Images/AP)
Deadly wildfires scorch Australia, prompt evacuations This satellite image released by the Copernicus Sentinel imagery, 2020 Twitter page dated Dec. 31, 2019, shows wildfires burning across South Australia. (Copernicus Sentinel Imagery/AP)
Experts estimate that half a billion animals, both wild and domesticated pets and livestock have been killed in the fires, while there could be hundreds of thousands of animals injured and displaced.
The Animal Rescue Craft Guild was originally formed to help make dog and cat beds and coats a few months ago but quickly changed its focus when the fires started burning.
Members of the guild started making pouches for baby kangaroos who have lost their mothers, and mittens for koalas to protect burned paws.
Mittens are then filled with cooling ointment to treat the burnt paws, the CBC reported in November.
The group has received donations from the U.S., Britain, Hong Kong and Germany, Reuters reported.
For more on how you can help and to find patterns for the items the group needs most, visit the Animal Rescue Craft Guild’s Facebook page.
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