SWITZERLAND: An Elephant with Imagination

Eleven years ago, Chang was bundled into the Zurich zoo's elephant pit, a fat, ludicrous baby only ten months old. He had been bought as the future mate for Mandjullah, an older female. Rapidly he became the zoo's star attraction and the pride of his keeper, Hans Rietmann. When Mandjullah took the kids for a ride on her back, Chang trundled awkwardly behind, amiably accepting peanuts. Sometimes he would even snuggle his trunk into a pocket to pluck out a piece of candy.

Chang had some elephantine whims. He showered his audience with water and occasionally picked up his empty tub...