Vote for the Fattest Bear in Katmai National Park
Fat Bear Week 2026 runs from September 22 to 29, celebrating brown bears in Alaska as they bulk up for hibernation. Explore.org hosts live webcams and head-to-head voting, with one vote per email address. Last year's champion, Bear 32 'Chunk,' is defending his title after recovering from a broken jaw and injured paw.
The tournament pairs bears in bracket-style matchups, with polls open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT. Katmai's Brooks River offers an unusually long salmon-feeding season, running from late June through mid-October, which gives bears ample opportunity to build the fat reserves they need—since hibernation requires surviving months without food or water while losing roughly a third of their body weight. This year's field includes notable lineage: Bear 428 "Studious" and Bear 903 "Gully," offspring of two-time champion Bear 128 Grazer, are competing, while 2019 winner Bear 435 Holly also returns to the bracket.
This event could draw significant public engagement with wildlife conservation, as the accessible voting format and live webcams may foster broader appreciation for bear ecology and the challenges of hibernation survival. Viewers who follow individual bears' stories—such as Chunk's recovery from injury—may develop emotional connections that translate into support for national park preservation efforts. The competition's popularity could also raise awareness about how seasonal food availability shapes animal behavior, potentially encouraging more people to observe and protect natural habitats.