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6 clusters · 44 sources · 30 days · First seen · Last updated

Katmai National Park Fat Bear Week competition

Overview

The 12th annual Fat Bear Week competition in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve has concluded, with Bear 89, known as ‘Backpack’, securing the title. Backpack won a close final vote against rival bear 910 by a margin of approximately 5,000 votes.

Backpack, a roughly 20-year-old bear, earned his nickname as a cub for riding on the back of his mother, Holly, a previous winner. The competition, organized by the National Park Service, Explore.org, and the Katmai Conservancy, drew millions of votes from the public through a bracket-style tournament.

Beyond the competition, the event highlights the biological process of hyperphagia, where bears enter a feeding frenzy to build fat reserves necessary to survive winter hibernation. During this period, bears can lose up to one-third of their body weight. The event continues to serve as a platform to raise awareness regarding brown bear habitats and the biological necessity of seasonal weight gain.

Entities

National Park Service · Brooks River · Katmai National Park and Preserve · Katmai National Park · Explore.org

Timeline

  1. [CULTURE] 3 sources
    Katmai National Park crowns Bear 89 winner of Fat Bear Week

    Bear 89, known as ‘Backpack’, won the annual Fat Bear Week competition at Katmai National Park, highlighting the importance of fat reserves for grizzly bear survival during winter hibernation.

  2. [CULTURE] 4 sources
    Backpack wins Alaska’s Fat Bear Week competition

    Bear 89, nicknamed ‘Backpack’, has won Alaska’s Fat Bear Week in Katmai National Park, defeating rival bear 910 in a close vote to highlight the importance of fat reserves for winter survival.

  3. [CULTURE] 13 sources
    Katmai National Park begins Fat Bear Week 2026 competition

    Fat Bear Week 2026 has begun at Alaska's Katmai National Park. Sixteen brown bears are competing in a single-elimination tournament to be named the heaviest, with voting extended after high web traffic.

  4. [CULTURE] 21 sources
    Katmai National Park hosts 12th annual Fat Bear Week competition

    Alaska's Katmai National Park has launched the 12th annual Fat Bear Week, a bracket-style tournament where the public votes to crown the fattest brown bear ahead of winter hibernation.

  5. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Katmai National Park hosts largest Fat Bear Week ever

    Katmai National Park’s annual Fat Bear Week returns with a record 16 bears competing to see who gained the most weight for hibernation through salmon fishing.

  6. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Katmai National Park hosts annual Fat Bear Week competition

    Fat Bear Week returns to Alaska’s Katmai National Park from September 22 to 29, featuring an online tournament where global fans vote for the heaviest brown bears preparing for hibernation.

Sources

6abc.com · 97rockonline.com · allgaeuer-zeitung.de · backyardgardenlover.com · bild.de · dagens.de · dailygeekshow.com · dailymail.co.uk · DiePresse.com · excelsior.com.mx · fox13seattle.com · fr.news.yahoo.com · griffonnews.com · independent.co.uk · index.hr · information.tv5monde.com · keysnews.com · kpbs.org · ksfr.org · kstp.com · kurier.at · livenowfox.com · losangelesweeklytimes.com · mixvale.com.br · news.mongabay.com · newstalkkit.com · nordbayern.de · nypost.com · oe3.orf.at · offthepress.com · onetz.de · popsci.com · postguam.com · sentinelcolorado.com · srnnews.com · summitdaily.com · tag24.com · thefanscotian.com · tvovermind.com · video.foxnews.com · watson.ch · whdh.com · womiowensboro.com · wz.de

This summary has been updated 7 times: see revision history