[REVISION HISTORY]

Backpack wins 2026 Fat Bear Week

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2026-09-30 12:14 UTC → 2026-09-30 22:16 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The 12th annual Fat Bear Week competition at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve has concluded, with the brown bear known as Backpack (Bear 89) crowned the winner. In a close final matchup, Backpack secured 103,334 votes, narrowly defeating the female bear known as 910, who received 98,253 votes. Organized by the nonprofit Explore.org, this year’s event saw record engagement, with more than 2.5 million votes cast from over 100 countries. The single-elimination tournament, which featured 16 contestants, serves as an educational tool to highlight the biological necessity of fat accumulation for surviving winter hibernation and the importance of the Brooks River ecosystem. Park officials noted the competition provides an interactive way to educate the public about the resilience and survival challenges faced by the approximately 2,200 brown bears living in the preserve. Backpack, a 20-year-old male estimated to weigh between 450 and 550 kilograms, earned his nickname as a cub by climbing onto the back of his mother, Holly, a former ~~champion.~~ champion known as the ‘Duchess of Density.’ His victory marks a significant milestone following a major leg injury sustained during his youth, which park rangers once feared might be fatal.

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