Emmet Toothbrush Training

Keeping those teeth bear-y clean! One unique benefit of living in human care is our animals' opportunity to engage in preventative care. Health issues that could diminish an animal's quality of life in the wild can be addressed and sometimes even prevented thanks to the quality care provided by our keepers and veterinary staff here at #CMZoo. A preventative care husbandry training that Rocky Mountain Wild Keeper, Erika, and 16-year-old grizzly bear, Emmett, have been working on for the past few months is teeth-cleaning. When Emmett opens his mouth, his teeth are gently brushed using special meat-flavored toothpaste and he is rewarded with a meat snack! As you can see, this training requires a great deal of trust between the bear and keeper. Still, Erika maintains a safe distance from Emmett, with a barrier between them for both participants' safety.