Katmai National Park opens Fat Bear Week tournament
- Fat Bear Week officially opened in Katmai National Park, launching an annual tournament where online voters select the brown bear that has done the most impressive job preparing...
- Defending champion Chunk returns to the tournament with substantial experience, carrying an estimated weight of around 544 kilograms as recorded in 2025.
- During the summer months, brown bears in Katmai gorge on salmon to build up the necessary fat reserves to survive winter hibernation.
Fat Bear Week officially opened in Katmai National Park, launching an annual tournament where online voters select the brown bear that has done the most impressive job preparing for winter hibernation. Sixteen bears and family groups are competing in a single-elimination bracket, with the winner scheduled to be crowned on September 29, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
Contenders Line Up for Annual Alaska Hibernation Contest
Defending champion Chunk returns to the tournament with substantial experience, carrying an estimated weight of around 544 kilograms as recorded in 2025. He faces a crowded field that includes Gully, the offspring of two-time champion Grazer. Park officials note that the current field comprises five bear families, two young bears, four adult females, and five adult males. Park Director Mark Sturm highlighted the strong showing of cubs in this year’s competition, stating that a new generation of heavy bears is taking shape with a strong start.
How Brown Bears Fuel Up for Winter in Katmai
During the summer months, brown bears in Katmai gorge on salmon to build up the necessary fat reserves to survive winter hibernation. According to competition organizers, bears consume neither food nor water during hibernation and can lose up to one-third of their total body weight. Large adult males can weigh well over 450 kilograms before entering their dens, with each individual consuming up to 30 fish per day, as detailed by the Associated Press.
Global Public Engagement and Growth Since 2014
What began as a single-day event on Facebook in 2014 has expanded into an international online phenomenon. Global News reports that last year’s tournament attracted over 1.7 million votes cast from more than 100 countries. Public participants can follow the bears via live streams, examine before-and-after photographic evidence, and cast votes for their favorite contenders through the tournament’s official platform as the competition runs to its conclusion on September 29.