Fat Bear Week

Katmai National Park and Reserve is dedicated to conservation and recreation, spanning 16,552 square kilometers (6,391 square miles) in the southwestern region of Alaska. This area features many lakes, several volcanoes, and rivers with a large population of red salmon. It is home to a large range of species of wildlife, including the Alaska brown bear.Katmai National Park and Preserve. (2018). In Helicon (Ed.), The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide. Helicon. Retrieved November 13, 2023, from https://search.credoreference.com/articles/Qm9va0FydGljbGU6NTUxMTEy?aid=104024 . It serves as the backdrop for the annual Fat Bear Week competition. The national park is home to approximately 2,200 Alaska peninsula brown bears. Live webcams are placed at Brooks Falls and along the Brooks River, allowing the public to view the bears.

Throughout the summer and fall, the brown bears of Katmai National Park consume large quantities of food, primarily sockeye salmon found in the park's rivers.{{Cite journal |last=Ferrara |first=Jeanette |date=November 2020 |title=FEEDING FRENZY: Every fall, Alaskan brown bears pack on the pounds to prepare for hibernation |journal=Scholastic DynaMath |volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=4–8 |via=ebscohost}} This behavior, known as hyperphagia, allows them to accumulate the fat reserves needed to survive months of hibernation, which typically begins in November. In particular, adult male bears can gain up to 500 pounds (230 kg) or more.{{Cite news |last=Cooper |first=Kelly-Leigh |date=2018-10-04 |title=Why a US national park is holding a 'Fat Bear Week' contest |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45749891 |access-date=2022-10-07}} By the time hibernation starts in October and November, males may weigh up to 1,200 pounds (540 kg).

These bears are known to consume as much as 120 pounds (54 kg) of salmon in a single day, sometimes catching as many as 30 fish daily.{{Cite news |last=Tousignant |first=Marylou |date=2022-09-29 |title=For Fat Bear Week, pick your favorite for this year's chunky champ |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/kidspost/2022/09/26/fat-bear-week-2022/ |access-date=2023-02-21}} Fish can help them gain up to 4 pounds a day, throughout the entirety of the season.{{cite web | url=https://www.doi.gov/blog/everything-you-want-know-about-katmai-national-parks-fat-bears | title=Everything You Want to Know About Katmai National Park's Fat Bears | U.S. Department of the Interior | date=2 October 2024 }}

In addition to simple survival, fat reserves are also needed for pregnant bears; success of pregnancies is related to the adequate accumulation of fat reserves during the autumn months,{{Cite web |date=2021-09-28 |title=Everything You Want to Know About Katmai National Park's Fat Bears |url=https://www.doi.gov/blog/everything-you-want-know-about-katmai-national-parks-fat-bears-3 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216131326/https://www.doi.gov/blog/everything-you-want-know-about-katmai-national-parks-fat-bears-3 |archive-date=December 16, 2019 |website=Doi.gov}} which give the mothers sufficient energy stores to nurture their cubs through the winter.{{Cite journal |last1=López-Alfaro |first1=Claudia |last2=Robbins |first2=Charles T. |last3=Zedrosser |first3=Andreas |last4=Nielsen |first4=Scott E. |date=2013-12-01 |title=Energetics of hibernation and reproductive trade-offs in brown bears |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380013004213 |journal=Ecological Modelling |volume=270 |pages=1–10 |doi=10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.09.002 |bibcode=2013EcMod.270....1L |issn=0304-3800}}

The competition is intended to raise awareness,{{Cite news |last=Diaz |first=Johnny |date=2020-10-03 |title=The Votes Cast, a Fat Bear Is Crowned |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/03/us/fat-bear-week.html |access-date=2022-10-07 |issn=0362-4331}} help generate interest in conservation, and allow people to engage with wildlife via the webcams.{{Cite news |last=Compton |first=Natalie |date=2022-01-12 |title=747 takes the Fat Bear Week 2022 crown |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/10/11/fat-bear-week-2022-winner-747/ |access-date=2023-02-21}} Rangers associated with Fat Bear Week have also cited a desire to increase accessibility to the otherwise remote Katmai National Park.{{Cite web |last=Mock |first=Benjamin |date=2022-10-05 |title=Fat Bear Week: Nature's Hottest Esport Event |url=https://www.jaxon.gg/fat-bear-week-natures-hottest-esport-event/ |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Jaxon |language=en-US}} Evidence of this positive interaction with wildlife can be seen in the fan groups and pages started on social media groups. One such group even began a charity bracket event organized by Fat Bear fans. The money raised from the buy in was donated to a charity chosen by the bracket winner. One such charity was the Katmai Conservancy.{{Cite news |last=Calma |first=Justine |date=2022-07-10 |title=Fat Bear Week stars inspire devoted fans both on and offline |work=The Verge |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/7/23392925/fat-bear-weeks-fans-katmai-national-park |access-date=2023-03-10}}

Fat Bear Week was founded as Fat Bear Tuesday by former park ranger Mike Fitz in 2014.{{Cite news |title=Alaska's Fat Bear Week proves conservation can be joyful |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/10/04/alaskas-fat-bear-week-proves-conservation-can-be-joyful |access-date=2022-10-07 |issn=0013-0613}} He came up with the idea after noting the interest in online livestreams of the bears feeding at the river. Visitors to the national park were asked to review before and after photos of a number of the park's bears and to vote for the fattest bear in a single-elimination tournament. In 2015, the tournament was first hosted online, and was extended to a week.{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Erin |date=2018-10-02 |title=The Glory of Otis, Fattest of the Fat Bears |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/glory-otis-fattest-fat-bears/ |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=Outside Online |language=en-US}}

In 2021, the Fat Bear Junior bracket was introduced.{{Cite web |title=Fat Bear Week |url=https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/fat-bear-week.htm |access-date=2023-10-09 |publisher=Katmai National Park and Preserve, U.S. National Park Service |language=en}} This separate competition features young bear cubs, which can go on to contend with adult bears in the main bracket.

During the semi-finals of the 2022 event, Bear 435, known as Holly, initially appeared to defeat Bear 747. An investigation by park officials found that Holly had received 9,000 votes in a short span of time. After fake votes were discarded, Bear 747 was determined the winner with 37,940 votes, while Bear 435 received 30,430 votes.{{Cite news |last=Gabbatt |first=Adam |date=2022-10-11 |title='Ballots have been stuffed': voting scandal rocks Alaska's fat bear contest |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/11/alaska-fat-bear-week-voting-scandal |access-date=2022-10-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en}}

One of the webcams used during Fat Bear Week aided in the rescue of a hiker on September 5, 2023; at 3:15{{nbsp}}p.m. a visibly cold and soaked hiker appeared in the webcam frame on Dumpling Mountain seeking help. After viewers notified authorities, park rangers found the hiker near the camera at approximately 6:48{{nbsp}}p.m.{{Cite news |last=Mayorquin |first=Orlando |date=2023-09-10 |title=Hiker Spotted on Bear Cam Rescued From Alaskan Wilderness |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/10/us/bear-cam-hiker-rescue-alaska.html |access-date=2023-09-14}}

During the opening week of the 2024 event, Bear 469, a male known as Patches, attacked a female, Bear 402, resulting in her death. This was witnessed live on the cameras in Katmai National Park. Park officials delayed the opening day of Fat Bear Week to host a live Q&A.{{cite web |title=Death of a Bear and Fat Bear Week Bracket Postponed at Katmai National Park |url=https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/news/death-of-a-bear-and-fat-bear-week-bracket-postponed-at-katmai-national-park.htm |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=3 October 2024 |date=September 30, 2024}} Katmai Park ranger Sarah Bruce noted the event was unusual; "It's an uncommon thing to see a bear predating on another bear, but it's not completely out of the question. So it's hard to say how this started."{{cite news |author1=Miller, Brittany |title=Fat Bear Week 2024 takes grisly turn as fatal bear fight is caught on camera |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fat-bear-week-2024-postponed-fight-b2622273.html |access-date=3 October 2024 |work=The Independent |date=3 October 2024}} Bear 469 had previously been seen guarding the remains of another bear in 2012.{{cite news |author1=Vera, Kelby |title=Bear-On-Bear Murder Forces Fat Bear Week To Postpone |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/bear-murder-postpones-fat-bear-week_n_66fc3716e4b0ccc050c4cfb1 |access-date=3 October 2024 |work=Huffington Post |date=2 October 2024}}

File:FBW Bracket 2024.png

File:Fat Bear Junior 2024 Winner.png

Fat Bear Week takes place every October. The event is organized by the National Park Service and Explore.org, and anyone can participate by voting online for their preferred bear.{{Cite news |last=Marcos |first=Coral Murphy |date=2022-10-07 |title=Fat Bear Week 2022: thousands tune in to plump for their favorite |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/07/fat-bear-week-2022-alaska |access-date=2022-10-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en}}

In order to qualify for Fat Bear Week, brown bears of the Katmai National Park must have been spotted catching sockeye salmon at the Brooks River. A {{convert|1.5|mi|adj=on}} section of the river, which has webcams, is used to choose eligible bears. Bears must be seen not just in the fall but also in the summer season as well.{{Cite news |last=Tumin |first=Remy |date=Oct 9, 2022 |title=For the 'Insatiable' Contestants in Alaska's Fat Bear Week, Excess Means Success. |pages=2–3 |work=The New York Times |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A721567729/OVIC?u=albu78484&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=c999d3bb |access-date=Feb 10, 2023}}

The subjective contest is a single-elimination tournament. Each day, two bears are presented in a match-up, identified by numbers. The bear with the most votes advances to the next round. In order to evaluate which bears have gained the most weight in preparation for hibernation, the public is able to view before and after photos of specific bears, watch them on livestream feeds, and read their biographies. The biographies include information on their feeding habits, personality traits, and physical features. The winner of the final match-up is named the tournament champion.

File:480 Comparison 2019 (48832778221).png, winner in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2021]]

File:435 Comparison 2019 (48844493933).jpg

File:747 Comparison 2019 (48844489263).jpg

File:128 Comparison (48844499158).jpg

{{Reflist}}

• {{official}}
• [https://nps.gov/fatbearweek Information] at National Park Service website

Category:Annual events in Alaska

Category:Bears in popular culture

Category:Brown bears

Category:Katmai National Park and Preserve

Category:October

Category:Recurring events established in 2014