Fat Bear Week is here: Meet Backpack, Bucky and other chunky contenders
Summary
Fat Bear Week 2026 is a wildlife contest held at Katmai National Park in Alaska where people vote for the fattest bears preparing for winter hibernation. Sixteen bears, including the defending champion Chunk, compete by gaining weight from eating salmon and berries before winter. The event features live streams and ranger talks to help viewers learn about the bears.Key Facts
- Fat Bear Week is an annual event started in 2014 at Katmai National Park in Alaska.
- This year’s contest has 16 bears competing, up from 12 last year.
- Voting runs from September 22 to September 29 online each day between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET.
- The bears gain fat by eating salmon, berries, and other food to survive winter hibernation lasting 4-6 months.
- The defending champion is a bear named Chunk who recovered from a broken jaw last year.
- Viewers can watch the bears live on Explore.org through webcams at Brooks Falls and other park locations.
- More than 100 different bears have been identified in the area this year, including many cubs.
- Park rangers host online talks and Q&A sessions to share information about the bears during the event.
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