If Aidan has the least amount of hair, Grizzer has the most. Brushing sessions with Grizzer just yield more layers. The undercoat is coming in out in long sheets, and there is much more to go. Grizzer may look like the largest wolf on exhibit, but under that coat is a lean muscular animal. It will likely be a month before we see this transition.
Grizzer has been showing tolerance of Denali and Aidan which is characteristic of his nature, but we are definitely seeing Grizzer's limits. Denali, while socially engaging, can be overwhelming. It will be interesting to see how these two males settle their rank order in the upcoming year, but at this point, we don't see Grizzer letting Denali take over.
Grizzer remains the biggest challenge for winter shedding. His undercoat is so thick, when the shedding starts, it comes out in long strips. This thick coat is also a challenge as the brush isn't long enough to even reach his undercoat. Fortunately, Grizzer is also extremely tolerant of brushing, and has been a receiving a lot of attention. You will be surprised when he's finished shedding, he will look like a different wolf.
Of all the wolves in the Exhibit, Grizzer appears to be the only wolf showing some distinct behavioral changes since Shadow's retirement. All other pack members are calm, and show very little interest in the fence line towards retirement. Grizzer isn't anxious, but more subdued since Shadow's retirement. He is far more reserved with staff, and while he socially interacts with the pack, he doesn't initiate as much social behavior as Denali. Grizzer is a wolf that typically avoids conflict, and without a clear dominant wolf, some individuals can show uncertainty. This is why ritualized dominance is so important to a wolf pack. While Grizzer received most of Shadow's intense dominance, it was clear he was 2nd ranking. Grizzer seems to be an individual that avoids conflict, and may not seek the position of pack leader. Wolf Ethology Students: Lisa Hazel, Rich Schoenwiesner, Vicky Van Hamme, Patti Barss made the following observations: <br> In general, Grizzer has spent much time by himself watching the other three ambassador wolves interact. He is often resting in a higher spot, either on a rock or hillside. When walking and exploring, tail position is predominantly T2, at times T3. Grizzer has joined in rally howls, usually positioned away from the rest of the pack and in a resting position. As Aidan and Denali have been testing Grizzer this week, he has responded by chasing and pinning each of them with a soft muzzle bite.
Grizzer has been acting more submissive to Shadow and on occasions Malik. In this week’s photo, you see an intimidated ear posture on Shadow and starting on Grizzer. This is most likely a response to the camera lens. Wolves use direct eye contact to show dominance and the lens of the camera looks like a big eye. When pointed directly at them, wolves usually show signs of intimidation. Grizzer has started to use the den site as a cool place to escape the heat. In this week’s video, you will see Grizzer exit the den and romp with the pack. The Exhibit Pack continues to be one cohesive group that interacts well with each other.
The weather is getting very warm, especially for wolves that don’t shed their undercoat until late May or June. Many people ask why they shed so late. There’s no real data to answer that question, but May and early June are the worst season black flies, a small gnat that is know for an intense bite. Maybe over time, wolves were selected for the later shed. Since the humans are all scratching and the wolves aren’t bothered by the black flies, it seems like a relevant theory. In this week’s image, Grizzer is posturing over Maya and she willingly submits. There are a few indications that the testosterone hormone is still strong in these males.
As spring approaches, the exhibit changes to a summer management mode. The pond has been filled; the layers of straw that keep the wolves warm in winter are removed to expose the cooler layers of soil. In an effort to help reduce the insect population, cedar chips are placed throughout the enclosure. In this week’s photo and video, you will see the wolves’ scent rolling on the new smells and marking it with a raised leg urination or RLU. The area in the photo is on top of the den site, an area the wolves often rest.
All the wolves received their annual vaccinations this morning. In an effort to ensure the wolves are in good health, a light sedative was given to all the males of the pack so the vet could get a closer look, especially the arctics, since Shadow's ears which have been causing him irritation lately. Grizzer's metabolism seems to be different than the arctics, the same amount of drug had little effect. Fortunately, staff were able to give his vaccinations with minimal trouble and he is always tolerant of an ear cleaning. While he didn't need to sedate Grizzer to do these tasks, we did have to sedate the arctics and if the arctics are feeling the effects of the sedation, it was important that Grizzer have the same influence to avoid making the arctics vulnerable. Everything worked out well, and all wolves are healthy and vaccinated.
Grizzer is so conditioned to drop to the ground when Shadow shows dominance that it appears he will never leave his second ranking status. After Shadow lost a deer leg possession to Denali, Grizzer received some redirected aggression. Grizzer dropped and rolled before Shadow even made contact, and he continued to drop and roll in front of Shadow as Shadow walked away. Then, Grizzer went to staff and continued to do the same behavior. The most interesting thing about this behavior is the lack of reaction from Denali. Usually, when a higher ranking wolf is made vulnerable, the next in line is close to watch and take advantage of the submissive behavior. Denali doesn't show any interest in taking advantage of Grizzer in this state, maybe it's because he would need to be close to Shadow in a dominant posture, and that's not worth the risk.
Grizzer has some classic feeding behaviors in the Youtube video and in his photo this week. When the beaver were fed mid-week, He settled down and began gnawing on the tail, and making it clear to any other wolf that he had possession. His photo of a threat display was actually directed at Shadow, proving that no matter which rank a wolf maintains, they have the right to guard and possess food.
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