It’s Katmai National Park’s #FatBearWeek

Katmai National Park is hosting #FatBearWeek and it's up to us, the public, to crown the winner. Through their Bear Cam, the park live streams the Brooks River, which has one world’s highest concentrations of brown bears gathering to feed on sockeye salmon. Some of the most commonly seen bears are now competing for the title of tubbiest of them all. 

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Each day, two bears are matched against each other on Facebook and the one that gets the most likes is the day’s winner, advancing to the next round of the competition. Voting will run through October 9th, so don't miss out on your chance to decide who's the jiggliest this season. 

The fat bear bracket. Katmai National Park photo. 

Don't worry though, there's no fat shaming happening. The National Park Service writes, "In brown bears, large amounts of body fat are indicative of good health and strong chances of survival. The bears need stores of fat to help them survive hibernation, which can last for up to half of the year. Over the course of winter hibernation in the den, a bear could lose up to one third of its body mass. In preparation, this time of year the bears are entering hyperphagia, a state in which they eat nearly non-stop. Since July, the bears have seen dramatic and transformative weight gain that will be on full display during Fat Bear Week." 

In other words, the competition is a fun way to celebrate the success and resilience of brown bears. Three-time champ Otis is facing some notable competition this year from bear 747, whose belly almost scrapes the ground, and fan favorite and mother of two, bear 435 Holly. Who will rein victorious? 

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stash member Kirsten Forrester

Digital Content Coordinator for Teton Gravity Research.