The Alaska Zoo plans to use a 16,000-pound treadmill specifically built for its overweight elephant Maggie.

Zoo director Tex Edwards is optimistic she can get the more than 4-ton animal to use the machine.

"Every time we've undertaken to teach Maggie something new she has always learned it faster than we anticipated," Edwards says Tuesday. "She seems to enjoy new challenges."

The 20-foot-long by 8-foot-wide treadmill was built by Conveyor Engineering, an Idaho-based company that designs heavy-duty conveyor systems for mining. Automatic Welding in Anchorage put the treadmill together, believed to be the first one built specifically for an elephant, reports The Associated Press.

"They have built them for race horses and race camels but never for an elephant," says assistant zoo director Pat Lampi.

The treadmill arrived Monday and was lowered through the roof, which has been removed for a renovation project to double Maggie's living space.

"It came on a flatbed truck and then they had this huge crane lift it up and swing it over and lower it down into its position," Lampi says.