Wanna Vote on the Most Adorable Chonky Bears Ever? Alaska’s Fat Bear Week is Back!
Join the fun of Alaska’s annual Fat Bear Week, where you can vote for the chubbiest bear as they prepare for winter hibernation! 🌐 #News #KingSalmonAK #Alaska #Animals
KING SALMON, AK – Hope you like chonky cuties! It’s that time of year when the internet rallies behind a different kind of champion: fat, fluffy, and full of fish. Katmai National Park and Preserve’s 10th annual Fat Bear Week is back, and it’s an adorable competition where fans vote for the heftiest brown bear preparing for winter hibernation.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Fat Bear Week, and the National Park Service has announced that voting will be open from Oct. 2–8. To join the fun, just visit fatbearweek.org and cast your vote!
Before the main event kicks off, there’s an adorable warm-up act: Fat Bear Junior. This smaller bracket features the younger bears, with voting set for Sept. 26 and 27. The full adult bear bracket will be revealed on Sept. 30, giving fans a chance to strategize and pick their favorites.
Alaska’s Big (and Cute) Brown Bears
Alaska’s brown bears are some of the largest in the world. Adult males weigh in at 700 to 900 pounds during the summer, but by the time fall rolls around, some of these giants can tip the scales at over 1,200 pounds.
They pack on the pounds by feasting on sockeye salmon at Brooks River, which is home to one of the world’s biggest salmon runs. This feeding frenzy helps the bears bulk up for hibernation, which is key to their survival through the long winter.
“Fat Bear Week satisfies your hunger for bears, salmon, and the other wonders of Katmai, all with one bite,” said park superintendent Mark Sturm.
What Happens During Hibernation?
During the winter months, these hefty bears will hunker down in their dens without eating or drinking a thing. When they emerge in the spring, they’ll have shed about a third of their body weight. But for now, it’s all about gaining that necessary fat, and fans get to watch it happen!
Before casting their votes, fans can head over to Explore.org here to check out photos, live cams, and the biographies of the bears in this year’s competition. It’s a chance to get to know these amazing animals up close and personal.
Fat Bear Week: A Tradition Like No Other
Fat Bear Week started back in 2014 as a partnership between the National Park Service, Explore.org, and the Katmai Conservancy. Since then, it’s grown into a wildly popular event. Last year, over 1.4 million votes were cast from more than 100 countries. The reigning champ, 128 Grazer, stole the show in 2023 by defeating her competitor Chunk with a whopping 2-to-1 vote margin.
So, as the bears at Katmai get bigger and fluffier, the anticipation for this year’s Fat Bear Week grows too. Whether you’re cheering for the returning champion or a new contender, it’s all about celebrating the beauty and resilience of these incredible creatures.
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