Cheer on these chubby brown bears as they compete for this year's title
Basketball fans have March Madness. Movie aficionados have the Academy Awards. Heck, there’s even Shark Week for those who couldn’t get enough of Jaws. But what about bear lovers? Surely there has to be some sort of exciting celebration for people who love these furry, fuzzy, fluffy creatures, right?
There certainly is! It’s called Fat Bear Week, and it’s unlike any event you’ve ever experienced. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about Fat Bear Week, including how you can take part in this fun annual event.
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What is Fat Bear Week?
As the name suggests, Fat Bear Week celebrates the fattest bears, specifically those who call Alaska’s Katmai National Park home. And don’t worry—no one’s feelings are getting hurt. “Fat” is not only a compliment in their case but also a life-saving attribute, as the bears spend the weeks leading up to winter packing on the pounds in preparation to hibernate. Their food of choice? The all-you-can-eat buffet of salmon along the park’s Brooks River.
As described by the National Park Service on Instagram, in the contest, “Katmai’s beefiest bruins flaunt their fluff, vying for glory as if they’re the wobbliest, blue-ribbon-winning Jell-O mold at a Midwest state fair.” What’s not to love?
As for the contest itself, Fat Bear Week is a single-elimination tournament with bears entered in a head-to-head virtual matchup. The first Fat Bear Week took place in 2014, and it’s grown in popularity ever since. After all, what’s not to love about these massive, beautiful bears?!
Wait—do they actually weigh the bears?
If you’re imagining a great, big grizzly bear stepping onto a scale like the one used in doctors’ offices, think again. The bears included in Fat Bear Week weigh upwards of 600 pounds, and they are wild bears of the Alaskan wilderness, so it would be impractical—not to mention highly dangerous—to weigh them the same way we measure ourselves and our household pets.
“In the past, terrestrial LiDAR scanning has been used to calculate estimated volumes of some of the largest bears,” explained the National Park Service on Instagram. “However, another tried-and-true method is called ‘eyeballing it.’ Bear with us. Actually, let’s go with ‘visual estimation’ instead. That’s park-speak for eyeing a bear’s big belly, comparing it to, say, a barrel of salmon or a particularly stuffed camper van, and declaring, ‘That’s a proper unit.’ No scales, no tape measures—just years of gawking at chunky bears and guesstimating their size.”
Who are the 2025 contenders?
This year, 11 bears are going head-to-head for the title of 2025 Fat Bear Week winner. They’re all Alaskan brown bears, but each one is a character that’s totally one of a kind. These bears weigh anywhere from 700 to over 1,200 pounds, which makes for some pretty fat bears!
- 26: A medium-sized adult female, #26 is a rookie entrant. She is thought to be the daughter of 2019 Fat Bear Week winner 435 Holly, and she’s the mother of a litter of cubs.
- 32 Chunk: A large male with narrow eyes and dark fur, 32 Chunk has a large scar across his muzzle and a broken jaw that won’t ever fully mend. He is considered massive and uses his size to his advantage, warding off threats and other competitors.
- 99: A young adult male, 99 is making his Fat Bear Week debut this year! He’s got oval-shaped ears, and his muzzle tilts up slightly. And because he’s young, he’s also still growing to his full size and maturity.
- 128 Grazer: Returning champ 128 Grazer won 2023 and 2024’s Fat Bear Week competitions. and this mama bear is hoping for a threepeat. She has blond ears, light brown fur and a long muzzle, and she’s currently raising her third litter of cubs.
- 503: A large, tall adult male, 503 is considered the most affable entrant, since he gets along well with more of his kind than any other adult male who frequents Brooks River. Sounds like he already deserves the title “Mr. Congeniality”!
- 602: With wide-set ears, this large adult male is best known for a unique stomping dance that he performs when he gets excited. This is his first time competing in Fat Bear Week.
- 609: Considered large for her age, 609 was the 2022 Fat Bear Junior champion. The 5-year-old female has big, round ears and an entirely brown body.
- 856: Standing at more than 5 feet tall when on his hind legs, 856 is one of the biggest bears at Brooks River. He has a reputation for licking his lips when he goes fishing.
- 901: Bear 901 enters the competition as a favorite, since she’s known to pack on the pounds without even trying. (We can relate!) A fat, medium-sized adult female, she has golden-brown fur and triangle-shaped ears rimmed with blond fur.
- 909: Another legacy, 909 is the daughter of the 2018 Fat Bear Week champion, Beadnose. The large adult female with blond ears and medium-brown fur is a skilled salmon catcher and is the mother of 609.
- 910: Bear 909 is another daughter of Beadnose and 909’s sister. She can often be spotted tossing her head upward, as if practicing to catch a salmon.
How do you vote for your favorite bear?
Participating is easy! Head to Explore.org and select the bear of your choice in the day’s head-to-head matchup. You get one vote—and one vote only—per round, so choose wisely. The competition runs through Sept. 30.
The winning bear of each round advances to the next, and only one Alaskan brown bear will be named the winner of Fat Bear Week! Sadly, there’s no trophy or crown involved, not even a bouquet of fresh salmon. But the winning bear does get bragging rights and a legacy to pass down to its cubs.
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Sources:
- Explore.org: “Fat Bear Week 2025”
- Explore.org: “Meet the Bears of Fat Bear Week”
- National Park Service: “Fat Bear Week: Past and Present”
