It's been a long time since Maggie the elephant at the Alaska Zoo has been in the news ("Rest of the story," Jan. 2). I stopped by to see her and was reminded of how miserable her situation is.
Her barn is really a cement cell, and with no other elephants around, she is in solitary confinement. The air is foul, and she can't even see out the windows. Even when she can be outdoors, her area is extremely inadequate and, of course, she is still alone.
At a time when more is known about the emotional and physical needs of captive elephants, Maggie is being passed by, and the people responsible for her care are obviously in denial. How can they possibly believe that treadmill will be an adequate substitute for being out in the natural world with other elephants? The same situation killed Annabelle; why are they letting it happen to Maggie?
-- Peggy McFarland
Anchorage | 
