After a week of competition, Bear 910 and Backpack have been named the final contenders for the title of heftiest bear in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve. The winner will be determined by public voting on Tuesday.
Fat Bear Week, now in its 12th year, aims to celebrate the resilience of the approximately 2,200 brown bears residing in the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula. The event was initiated in 2014 to educate the public about brown bears, which are closely related to grizzlies.
Last year's champion, Chunk (Bear 32), was eliminated in the first round this year by Bucky, who subsequently lost to Backpack (Bear 89). This year's contest featured 16 bears competing in a single-elimination tournament. Voting is conducted online at www.fatbearweek.org, with results announced Tuesday evening after the final poll closes. The public can view the bears on explore.org's livestream cameras prior to casting their votes.
According to the nonprofit organization behind the event, "Fat bears are successful bears." These bears consume large quantities of salmon that return to the Brooks River starting in late June, allowing them to build fat reserves necessary for winter hibernation. To qualify for the contest, bears must frequent the river area.
Adult male brown bears typically weigh between 600 to 900 pounds (about 270 to 410 kilograms) in midsummer, but can exceed 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) by the time they prepare for hibernation. Females are generally about one-third smaller. During this season, bears may consume up to 30 fish daily, working to accumulate enough food for the winter months.
During hibernation, bears do not eat or drink and can lose up to one-third of their body weight. This year's contestants include five bear families, highlighting the record number of families and cubs observed at the river this summer. A mother bear must feed herself while also caring for her cubs, who face risks from other bears due to territorial behavior and food scarcity.
Bear 132 and her three spring cubs reached the semifinals but were defeated by Bear 910. Bear 132 is noted as one of the largest and most experienced mother bears at Brooks River. In mid-July, one of her cubs was separated from the family for several days but was later reunited.