Bears Gear Up for Fat Bear Week: Online Voting Begins Soon

The annual online contest known as Fat Bear Week is set to commence, inviting participants to vote for the title of the “fattest bear” on the Alaska Peninsula. This year’s event features a preliminary round for younger bears, with voting for these “chubby cubbies” open until September 29, 2023. The main competition will kick off shortly after, showcasing the impressive size and resilience of the brown bears in Katmai National Park.

The contest, which began in 2014, aims to highlight the brown bears’ ability to prepare for the harsh winters by gaining weight during the fall. This natural process involves gorging on salmon at Brooks River, where the bears are monitored through livestream cameras. According to naturalist Mike Fitz, who initiated the contest during his tenure as a ranger, the event encourages public awareness about bear survival and the ecosystem’s role in their success.

This year’s salmon run has been notably bountiful, promising a selection of particularly hefty contenders for voters. The twelve bears participating in the event will be revealed on September 25, 2023, and will compete in a single-elimination tournament format. Voting takes place online at www.fatbearweek.org, culminating in the announcement of the winner on September 30, 2023.

Competition Format and Participants

The competition features eight bears in the first round, with four receiving byes. Voters will assess the bears’ sizes based solely on their appearances, as physically weighing them is impractical and potentially dangerous. Male brown bears typically weigh between 700 to 900 pounds (318 kg to 408 kg) in mid-summer and can exceed 1,000 pounds (454 kg) by autumn due to successful foraging efforts. Notably, bears weighing up to 1,400 pounds (635 kg) have been observed in the park.

While size is crucial, Fitz notes that voters should also consider the resilience and challenges faced by the bears. For instance, females caring for their cubs while also preparing for winter have previously triumphed in the contest. Grazer, a two-time champion, notably defeated one of the largest bears in Brooks River last year. This contest has real-life implications, as the bears engage in territorial disputes that can affect their health and survival.

Chunk, a bear who has returned to the river this year with a broken jaw, remains a formidable contestant, despite the injury. This condition, a result of aggressive interactions with other bears, has not diminished his appetite or presence among the bears at Brooks River.

Fat Bear Jr. Features Young Contenders

In the preliminary round known as Fat Bear Jr., younger bears will showcase their sizes and personalities. One of the standout contestants is cub 128 Junior, the offspring of Grazer. She will compete against the 803s, a pair of mischievous cubs known for their playful antics. Another semifinal will feature siblings from bear 26, adding a familial element to the competition.

This year promises an exciting array of contestants, with Fitz expressing optimism about the number of well-fed bears. “We are kind of expecting really to have some of the fattest bears we’ve ever seen in the event,” he remarked, underscoring the abundance of salmon available this season.

As the competition unfolds, spectators and voters alike will have the opportunity to engage with these magnificent creatures and witness their stories of survival and adaptation in the wild. Fat Bear Week serves not only as an entertaining event but also as a reminder of the intricate balance of nature and the importance of conservation efforts in protecting these iconic animals.