After a week of competition, Backpack has been declared the champion of Fat Bear Week, held in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve. The nonprofit organizing the event announced Backpack's victory on Tuesday, with the bear receiving over 100,000 votes, securing just over 50% of the poll against Bear 910.
Fat Bear Week, now in its 12th year, highlights the resilience of the 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 coastal relatives of grizzlies.
Last year's champion, Chunk (Bear 32), was eliminated in the first round this year by Bucky, who subsequently lost to Backpack, officially known as Bear 89. The competition featured 16 bears in a single-elimination format, with public voting conducted online at www.fatbearweek.org. The winner was announced after the final poll closed on Tuesday evening.
The bears can be viewed via livestream on explore.org, allowing fans to observe their behaviors before casting their votes. According to the nonprofit, "Fat bears are successful bears," as they consume large quantities of salmon from the Brooks River, which is abundant from late June. To qualify for the contest, bears must frequent the river area.
Backpack, the son of former champion Holly, was introduced to the Brooks River as a cub in 2006. His name reflects his tendency to climb onto his mother’s back while swimming. Fans noted his gentle demeanor in the contest's Instagram comments. His profile states that he has not exhibited much aggression towards competitors, preferring to use his strength quietly.
He defeated Bear 910, who is the daughter of another former champion, 409 Beadnose. Adult male brown bears typically weigh between 600 to 900 pounds (270 to 410 kilograms) in midsummer, but can exceed 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) before hibernation after consuming large amounts of salmon. Females generally weigh about one-third less than males. During this time, bears can consume up to 30 fish daily to prepare for winter hibernation, during which they do not eat or drink and may lose up to one-third of their body weight.
This year's competition included five bear families, highlighting the high number of families and cubs at the river this summer. A mother bear must balance feeding her cubs while ensuring she consumes enough calories for hibernation. Bear 132 and her three cubs reached the semifinals but were defeated by Bear 910. Bear 132 is noted as one of the largest and most experienced mothers at Brooks River. In mid-July, one of her cubs was briefly separated but was later reunited with the family.