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Fat Bear Week Kicks Off With Biggest Bracket Yet
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In Short: Fat Bear Week, an annual competition to crown the fattest brown bear in Katmai National Park and Preserve, kicks off with a new 16-bear bracket.
Fat Bear Week, an annual competition to crown the fattest brown bear in Katmai National Park and Preserve, kicked off on Friday with the release of a new 16-bear bracket, up from 12 in recent years.
The event, which began in 2014 as Fat Bear Tuesday, has grown into a major international spectacle. Last year, more than 1.7 million votes were cast from over 100 countries.
The bears, known for their relentless feeding during hyperphagia, a condition where they eat to prepare for winter hibernation, are ready for their closeup.
This year's competition features new contenders like Bear 89, nicknamed 'Backpack' due to an injury that forced him to ride on his mother's back as a cub, and 151 Walker, one of the most dominant bears on the Brooks River.
The competition, which runs from September 18 to September 29, allows viewers to follow the bears' exploits on webcams from Brooks River on Explore.org.
According to park officials, the bears can double their weight over the course of a couple months of fall, eating around the clock to pack on as much weight as possible before winter.
Bruce, a park official, noted the resilience of Bear 909, who is preparing for hibernation after losing both of her cubs this year.
Sturm, another official, expressed excitement about the new generation of bears, saying they are off to a strong start and eager to see how they develop.
The drama captured on bear cams can be intense, with footage of life and death struggles, such as the 2024 incident where one bear, 469, killed and partially consumed another, 402, during a scuffle.
Viewers can follow the bears' antics and vote for their favorite contender, providing a much-needed break from thinking about AI, midterm elections, and the economy.
What this adds
The event's popularity has made it one of the National Park Service's most popular initiatives.
What's still developing
- The original Fat Bear Week champion wasn’t just big, but showed remarkable longevity.
- The cameras were rolling in 2024 as one familiar bear, 469, killed another, 402, seemingly drowning her during a scuffle before consuming part of her body.
- Beginning on September 18, the actions kicks off with a bracket reveal.
- The main event kicks off on September 22, and culminates on September 29, when the National Park Service and Explore.org will officially crown the biggest chonk of 2025.
- Get ready for the action with this curated reading list, featuring our best reporting about the fall’s biggest competition.
- How did Fat Bear Week make the jump from niche to primetime?
- The winners of Fat Bear Week are some of the largest terrestrial predators on the planet, and each one is a specimen of just how big bearkind can get.
Sources
- Backpackerlink