grizzer – Jan 26, 2009 12:00 AM

Grizzer has had a tooth scrape to the corner of his eye and a tear to his ear in the last week. The tooth was from a scuffle with Malik and the ear, happened late Saturday night and was discovered in Sunday morning's wolf check. We're not sure if it was related to the deer feeding on Saturday night (the pack devoured the deer) or if the pups were wrestling with him and tugged too hard. The tear isn't very large, but ear wounds can bleed a lot. Staff tried to wash it up, but with temperatures at -24 below, it is too cold to apply too much water. He can't be removed from the enclosure and brought into the lab or Malik will likely fight with him for status after he is brought back in. Even the slightest separation can be perceived as a dispersal. Grizzer doesn't seem to be in any pain, and actively fed on the deer after staff cleaned his wound. He is on a 3-times a day antibiotic regime for a week. We know he is far too tolerant of the pups, and they are pulling on him all the time, but he seems to want this attention. Maybe the ear injury will encourage him to set limits.