Alaska‘s “Fat Bear Week” Kicks Off, Crowdsourcing the Crown for the state’s Heaviest Brown Bear
KATMAI NATIONAL PARK, AK – September 23, 2024 – The annual “Fat Bear Week” began today, inviting the public to vote for the brown bear at Katmai National Park deemed to have gained the most weight in readiness for winter hibernation. The online competition, now in its eleventh year, has exploded in popularity, drawing over a million votes globally in 2023.
originally launched in 2014 by Katmai National Park as a lighthearted way to raise awareness about bear conservation and the importance of a healthy ecosystem, “Fat Bear Week” has become a worldwide phenomenon. Viewers tune in via a live webcam overlooking a river within the park to observe bears feasting on salmon – consuming up to 45 kilograms daily – as thay bulk up for the long winter ahead.
The competition unfolds as a bracket-style tournament, pitting bears against each other in head-to-head matchups. Voters assess bears based on before-and-after photos and observations of their current size.Last year’s winner, “128 Grazer,” marked a frist for the competition as the first mother bear to claim the title.
“Like the body mass of a bear at the end of summer, anticipation for the tournament continues to grow,” Katmai National Park stated in a press release.
Brown bears in Katmai National Park can gain up to 50% of their body weight during the summer and fall months, a crucial reserve to sustain them through five months of hibernation. During this period, bears remain dormant, relying on stored fat and recycled proteins from their own urea to maintain muscle mass without eating, drinking, or eliminating waste.
The tournament provides a unique opportunity to learn about the amazing physiology of brown bears (Ursus arctos) and the vital role they play in the Alaskan ecosystem. voting is open now and continues through September 29th.
