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Fat Bear Week
Trends
- 1Fat Bear Week returns as fans vote for Alaska's fattest bears▼Fat Bear Week is back — and the voting frenzy for Alaska’s chonkiest bears is breaking the internet
Katmai National Park's annual Fat Bear Week contest is underway, with fans voting in a bracket-style tournament to crown Alaska's fattest brown bear before hibernation. The event celebrates the bears' dramatic summer salmon feasts at Brooks River, and each year it draws huge online participation, playful banter over 'chonky' contenders, and attention to bear conservation.
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Katmai National Park's annual Fat Bear Week competition has officially kicked off for 2026, inviting the public to vote on which of the park's brown bears has best bulked up ahead of winter hibernation. The event, run by the National Park Service with explore.org, typically draws millions of votes and celebration of the bears' readiness for the cold months.
- 3Fat Bear Week voting enters second round▼Fat Bear Week is officially breaking the internet as voting enters round two
Fat Bear Week, the annual contest run by Katmai National Park in Alaska in which the public votes for the bear that has gained the most weight before hibernation, has moved into its second round of voting and is drawing major attention online. Fans are debating match-ups between popular bears, sharing photos, and following the bracket-style tournament as it narrows toward a champion.