Battle for heavyweight crown begins as Alaska's Fat Bear Week opens
Summary
Fat Bear Week is an online contest in Alaska where people vote for the fattest brown bear from Katmai National Park. The bears gain weight by eating lots of salmon in the summer to prepare for winter hibernation. The winner is decided by public votes and announced on September 29.Key Facts
- Fat Bear Week started in 2014 to educate people about brown bears.
- The contest features 16 bears competing in a bracket-style tournament.
- Bears eat up to 30 salmon a day to gain weight for hibernation.
- Adult male bears usually weigh 600-900 pounds in midsummer but can grow over 1,000 pounds after fishing season.
- Female bears are about one-third smaller than males.
- Bears are not actually weighed; their weight is estimated from photos.
- Last year’s winner was Chunk, a bear weighing about 1,200 pounds.
- Voting is done online at www.fatbearweek.org, and viewers can watch live bear cams before voting.
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