An annual celebration of the robust brown bears in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve is set to kick off as these hefty creatures prepare for their winter hibernation. Fat Bear Week, scheduled to begin on October 2, allows fans to vote for their favorite bears in a tournament-style competition.
The event highlights the resilience of the 2,200 brown bears residing in the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula. Throughout the summer, dedicated fans can observe the bears feasting on sockeye salmon at the Brooks River via live cameras on explore.org.
This year's Fat Bear Jr. contest features four young contestants, including the reigning champion from 2022 and 2023. Notably, the 2022 winner, known as 909 Jr., has stayed with an aunt and is almost 4 years old, exceeding the typical cub age. Another contender is a spring cub of Grazer, last year's Fat Bear champion, whose sibling tragically passed away this summer after an encounter with a dominant adult male bear.
Adult male brown bears in mid-summer usually weigh between 600 to 900 pounds, but as they prepare for hibernation after gorging on migrating salmon, their weight can surpass 1,000 pounds. Female bears are typically smaller, weighing about one-third less than males.
The adult participants for Fat Bear Week will be revealed on September 30, with voting set to take place from October 2 to October 8. The competition, which garnered over 1.3 million votes last year, serves as a fun and educational way to appreciate these magnificent creatures and their natural habitat.
