Fat Bear Week returns to Katmai National Park Sept. 22-29, 2026, giving fans around the world a chance to vote on which of Katmai’s brown bears have done the best job preparing for Winter.
Vote for the fattest and most winter-ready bear at Explore.org
Fat Bear Week, which started in 2014, is an annual competition that celebrates the transformation of Katmai’s brown bears as they feast on salmon in preparation for the upcoming winter season.
To prepare for hibernation, bears will gain between 25% and 40% of their total body weight, bringing their weight anywhere from 500 pounds to over 1000 pounds, depending on the gender and specific species.
Located in King Salmon, Alaska, Katmai National Park was originally founded as a national monument in 1918 to preserve the volcanic eruption that occurred in 1912. The geothermal features of the land have since cooled, but the preservation of the brown bears that inhabit the area prompted the designation of Katmai as a National Park in 1980.
The competition for Fat Bear Week is a bracket-style tournament, with the public determining which bear will be crowned Fat Bear Week Champion.
Last year, over 1.7 million votes were cast from over 100 countries before bear 32, nicknamed “Chunk,” was crowned champion. He was estimated to have weighed roughly 1200 pounds.
Voting will take place from Sept. 22-29, with the champion being crowned Sept. 29.
Fans can check out the competitors through the live cams on Explore.org or visit the park website to learn more about the lives of the bears.
Author: Asa Burns
Photo: Courtesy of the National Park Service
Editor: Lainey Porter
outdoors@suunews.net
