Zoo appeals for help to knit giant jumper for chilly ostrich who lost most of her feathers

Tiwi has a bald patch after fighting with another ostrich last summer



Keepers are asking the public to knit a jumper to help keep her warm

They also hope the natural fibers might encourage feather-growth

Tiwi has been suffering from the cold after a fight with another ostrich left her with a large bald patch

A zoo is appealing to Britain's knitters to help them keep one balding ostrich warm this winter.

Tiwi, a female bird who lives on Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire, lost all the feathers on her back last summer during a fight with another ostrich.

They have since failed to grow back, leaving Tiwi suffering from the cold and looking a little like a half-plucked chicken.

Zoo manager Tim Morphew said: 'Most of the animals have grown glossy coats of furs or feathers to keep them warm this winter but Tiwi suffers from a rather large bald patch on her back meaning she is much more prone to feeling the cold than the other animals.



'We have tried to put blankets on her to keep her warm but if anyone is willing to knit her a jumper, I am sure she would appreciate it very much.



'We are also hoping that the warmth and natural fibres from a woolly jumper may stimulate the hair follicles in her back and cause her feathers to grow back.'

Ostriches naturally roam across central and southern Africa, and so are poorly suited to the cold.

In their arid home they derive most of their water from the food they eat, which includes plants, roots and seeds, as well as insects, lizards and other small creatures.



The species, the world's largest bird, also has the largest eye of any land animal, and contrary to popular belief they do not bury their heads in sand when threatened.

Instead they lie low to the floor, perhaps giving the appearance of burying their head, before using their long legs and fast pace to flee predators.

Their legs are also useful for kicking, and can easily kill a human or lion with a single powerful blow.

Keepers hope the jumper's natural wool fibers and the warmth it provides will mean the feathers grow back

As well as ostriches, Folly Farm zoo is home to a host of other birds, including emus and sacred ibis, whose distinctive long bills are used to probe mud for insects and beetles.

Emus are related to ostriches, are similar in appearance and are also flightless. The emu is slightly smaller than its relation, and lives predominantly in Australia, rather than Africa.