Katmai National Park crowns Bear 89 winner of Fat Bear Week

Bear 89, nicknamed ‘Backpack’, has been crowned the winner of the annual Fat Bear Week competition held at Katmai National Park in Alaska. The winner is determined through a bracket-style tournament based on public votes, celebrating the bears that have gained the most weight.

The competition highlights the biological necessity of weight gain for grizzly bears as they prepare for a six-month winter hibernation. During this period, bears remain in dens without eating or drinking, relying entirely on stored fat reserves for energy. The event serves to draw public attention to wildlife, national parks, and the environmental processes essential for animal survival.