malik – May 5, 2008 12:00 AM

Malik did extremely well during the medical exam on May 2, 2008, and fared well when Grizzer re-entered the enclosure. It is critical that any separations be kept to a minimum, as rank order can be affected. The drugs used during the medical exam are fully reversible, which allows the wolves to return to full physical and behavioral function within minutes. The normal procedure after a medical exam allows for the dominant wolf to be reversed first and returned to the enclosure. Then, we often return the lowest ranking wolf, so they are not entering the enclosure with the whole pack already in place. The last to go into the enclosure is the middle ranking wolf, in our case, Grizzer. There is a fine line between holding Grizzer off, and giving Malik time to regain his stability, and Grizzer building frustration because he is in holding, then redirecting to Malik. For us, this was about 5 minutes, when Grizzer was returned; he chased Malik around the pond and over the log, but didn’t follow through with much more. If he would have been held much longer, he would have likely become more frustrated.