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Where and how often does Axhi sleep? Is Axhi a social animal?

“Axhi’s sleep patterns change daily. Some days, he likes to “Axhi lives with his brother Jim. Jim is more dominant
sleep the majority of the day, especially during the colder than Axhi, so Axhi will often allow Jim the right-of-way
months. Some days, he is more active in the morning and when moving around their habitat. In the springtime,
late afternoon. Grizzlies in general have a nesting behavior guests will see Axhi and Jim wrestling in the pool.”
where they build large beds into the ground, and Axhi really
seems to enjoy sleeping in the sand pits in his habitat.” How does animal care staff interact with Axhi?

What do you do for enrichment? “Grizzly bears are curious by nature and are food motivated,
so they often visually track care staff, as they associate us
“Animal care staff use food enrichment, such as peanut with providing them food. We work closely with Axhi
butter, grape jelly, corn syrup, honey, granola bars, chow, through a protective mesh barrier, and he has learned
peanuts, cereal, and pig ears/pig snouts, just to name a several training behaviors that allow us to get a good look
few! Some of these treats can be placed in various natural- at him to assess his health on a daily basis. We have such
looking items to extend foraging time. We also place items a strong relationship with him that he allows us to apply
in the pool and on bungee cords to allow naturalistic fly spray on his ears and to give him vaccine injections.”
behaviors, like pulling or diving, to occur. We also have
timed feeders that slowly deliver chow or other dry items
over the course of the day to maximize foraging.”

Are there any particularly interesting
aspects of his day?

“When staff give Axhi enrichment in the pool, it is enjoyable
to watch him dive underwater for food. Grizzly bears
are also trained daily since they are incredibly intelligent
and we like to keep them mentally stimulated.”

From in front of the Great Bear Wilderness
viewing window, senior animal care specialist
Christy Mazrimas-Ott demonstrates Axhi Bear's
responses that aid in his health evaluations.

BROOKFIELD ZOO | FALL 2019 21