Chubby cub contest kicks off Alaska’s viral Fat Bear Week

The annual online event known as Fat Bear Week will begin next week, showcasing the competitive nature of Alaska’s brown bears as they vie for the title of the heaviest. The contest allows the public to vote for their favorite bear based on size. In advance of the main event, an initial round featuring younger bears, termed “Fat Bear Jr.”, will take place on Thursday with voting open until Friday.

Fat Bear Week, founded in 2014, emphasizes the impressive adaptability of brown bears as they consume salmon in the Brooks River during autumn to build fat reserves for winter. Participants can watch the bears’ activities via livestream. The event was created by Mike Fitz, a naturalist, to raise awareness about bear survival and the ecosystem.

This year’s main competition, which follows a single-elimination format, will feature 12 bears, with winners announced on September 30. Historically, many of the bears in the contest have been observed to gain significant weight, with males typically weighing between 700 and 900 pounds in mid-summer and exceeding 1,000 pounds by fall.

Organizers expect a robust group of contestants due to an exceptionally strong salmon run this season, which has allowed the bears to accumulate more fat.