Brookfield Zoo Elephant Released Outdoors After 29 Years

Here’s a breakdown of the information presented in the text, focusing on the story of Ziggy the elephant:

Key Facts about Ziggy:

* Species: Asian elephant
* Weight: 6 tons
* Early Life: Sold between circuses, moved to Brookfield Zoo in 1936. Named after Florenz Ziegfeld.
* Imprisonment: In 1941, ziggy attacked his keeper, George “Slim” Lewis, and was chained inside the Pachyderm House for 29 years as an inevitable result. Lewis saved himself by punching Ziggy in the eye and escaping into the moat.
* Freedom Campaign: In 1969, Chicago Tribune reporter Michael Sneed wrote an appeal to free Ziggy. This sparked a public movement and fundraising effort.
* Successful Outcome: Over $15,000 (equivalent to over $132,000 today) was raised to build an outdoor enclosure for Ziggy. He took his first outdoor walk in 29 years on September 23, 1970.

Key People:

* George “Slim” Lewis: ziggy’s keeper who was attacked in 1941. He pleaded for Ziggy’s life to be spared and for his sentence to be commuted to indoor imprisonment.
* Michael Sneed: Chicago Tribune reporter who spearheaded the campaign to free Ziggy in 1969.

The text highlights a story of animal welfare, the power of journalism to effect change, and the compassion of an individual (Lewis) towards an animal that had harmed him.