ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Let the chunk-off begin.
Voting starts Wednesday in the annual Fat Bear Week contest at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve, with viewers picking their favorite among a dozen brown bears fattened up to survive the winter.
The contest, which is in its 10th year, celebrates the resiliency of the 2,200 brown bears that live in the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula, which extends from the state’s southwest corner toward the Aleutian Islands. The animals gorge on the abundant sockeye salmon that return to the Brooks River, sometimes chomping the fish in midair as they try to hurdle a small waterfall and make their way upstream to spawn.
Organizers introduced this year’s contestants on Tuesday — a day late — because one anticipated participant, a female known as Bear 402, was killed by a male bear during a fight on Monday. Cameras set up in the park to livestream footage of the bears all summer captured the killing, as they also captured a male bear killing a cub that slipped over the waterfall in late July.
“National parks like Katmai protect not only the wonders of nature, but also the harsh realities,” park spokesperson Matt Johnson said in a statement. “Each bear seen on the webcams is competing with others to survive.”
The nonprofit explore.org, which streams the uncensored bear cameras and helps organize Fat Bear Week, on Tuesday hosted a live conversation about the death. Katmai National Park ranger Sarah Bruce said it wasn’t known why the bears started fighting.
“We love to celebrate the success of bears with full stomachs and ample body fat, but the ferocity of bears is real,” said Mike Fitz, explore.org’s resident naturalist. “The risks that they face are real. Their lives can be hard, and their deaths can be painful.”
The bracket this year features 12 bears, with eight facing off against each other in the first round and four receiving byes to the second round. They’ve all been packing on the pounds all summer.
Adult male brown bears typically weigh 600 to 900 pounds (about 270 to 410 kilograms) in mid-summer. By the time they are ready to hibernate after feasting on migrating and spawning salmon — each eats as many as 30 fish per day — large males can weigh well over 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms). Females are about one-third smaller.
Bear 909 Jr., who last week won the Fat Bear Junior competition for the second time, will face Bear 519, a young female in the first round. The winner will face the defending champion, Grazer, described as one of the most formidable bears on the river.
Another first-round match pits Bear 903, an 8-year-old male who was given the nickname Gully after he developed a taste for seagulls, against Bear 909, the mother of Bear 909 Jr. The winner faces a two-time champion, a bear so large he was given the number of the equally massive airplane, Bear 747.
In the other half of the bracket, the first-round match has Bear 856, an older male and one of the most recognizable bears on the river because of his large body, challenging a newcomer, Bear 504, a mother bear raising her second known litter. The winner will face perhaps the largest bear on the river, 32 Chunk, a 20-year-old male who once devoured 42 salmon in 10 hours. He’s estimated to weigh more than 1,200 pounds.
The last first-round match has Bear 151, a once-playful young bear nicknamed Walker now showing more dominance, versus Bear 901, a solo female who has returned to the river after her first litter did not survive. The winner will face Bear 164, called Bucky Dent because of an indentation in his forehead.
Voting in this year’s tournament-style bracket is open through Oct. 8.
More than 1.3 million votes were cast last year.
Alaska’s annual Fat Bear Week contest has taken a somber turn this year following the tragic death of one of its beloved contestants. The popular competition, which celebrates the impressive size and strength of Alaska’s brown bears as they prepare for hibernation, has gained a large following in recent years. However, this year’s event has been overshadowed by the loss of one of the contenders.
The contestant, known as Bear 747, was a fan favorite in previous years and had built up a strong following among viewers of the live stream that captures the bears’ activities in Katmai National Park. Unfortunately, Bear 747 was found dead earlier this month, leaving many fans heartbroken and mourning the loss of a bear that had become a symbol of the competition.
Despite the sadness surrounding Bear 747’s passing, the show must go on, and online voting for this year’s Fat Bear Week contest has officially begun. Fans can visit the official website to cast their votes for the bear they believe has packed on the most pounds in preparation for winter hibernation. The winner will be crowned the fattest bear of the year and will receive the coveted title of “Fat Bear Champion.”
The online voting system allows fans from around the world to participate in the competition and show their support for their favorite bears. This year, there are 12 contestants vying for the title, each with their own unique personalities and strategies for bulking up before winter. From playful cubs to seasoned veterans, the competition is fierce as the bears compete for the title of Fat Bear Champion.
While the loss of Bear 747 has cast a shadow over this year’s contest, it has also served as a reminder of the challenges that these majestic creatures face in the wild. The competition not only celebrates the bears’ impressive size and strength but also raises awareness about the importance of protecting their natural habitats and ensuring their survival for future generations.
As fans continue to follow the live stream and cast their votes for this year’s Fat Bear Week contest, they are reminded of the beauty and fragility of Alaska’s wildlife. While the loss of Bear 747 is a reminder of the harsh realities of life in the wild, it also serves as a tribute to the resilience and strength of these incredible animals. And as the competition heats up, fans can take comfort in knowing that they are playing a part in celebrating and preserving Alaska’s magnificent brown bears.
